Belgian man jailed for smuggling cigarettes

A 22-year-old Belgian man was sentenced to 15 months in prison, with a two-year probation period and a work obligation, for smuggling contraband cigarettes in France. He was also banned from entering French territory for two years.

Smuggling discovered on A6 motorway

The man was arrested on the A6 motorway near Limas on October 9, around 0:40, after customs officers inspected a van heading toward Lyon. The vehicle had a forged French license plate and contained 5,000 Marlboro Red cigarette cartons.

Cigarettes of non-European origin seized

Inside the van, customs agents found 50,000 packs of contraband cigarettes, all of non-European origin. The van was discovered on the same day as the arrest, and the driver admitted to participating in the smuggling operation.

Driver's motive linked to financial issues

The man said he accepted the job after being approached by a friend due to financial difficulties. He claimed he did not know the final destination of the cigarettes, and he had lost his job two weeks prior to the arrest.

Court reduces fine from 675,000 to 30,000 euros

The customs administration had initially sought a fine of 675,000 euros, the market value of the seized cigarettes. However, the court reduced the fine to 30,000 euros, considering the man's role as only a transporter in the operation.

Individual has prior criminal record

The young man had a prior criminal record in Belgium, including charges for theft and possession of narcotics. The court hearing took place three days after his arrest in Villefranche-sur-Saône and was conducted as a summary proceeding.