Four Belarusian Trucks with Smuggled Goods Seized on M1 Highway

Dec.27.2022
Four Belarusian Trucks with Smuggled Goods Seized on M1 Highway
Four Belarusian trucks carrying smuggled goods were seized by Russian customs with millions of untaxed cigarettes worth over RUB 320 million.

Four trucks from Belarus carrying smuggled goods were seized on the M1 highway by a mobile group of the Smolensk customs in Russia. They confiscated nearly 3 million packs of Belarusian cigarettes without the Russian consumption tax and excise stamps, valued at over 320 million rubles (approximately 32.58 million yuan).


According to one of the drivers, he planned to unload the goods in the Moscow area. However, the goods were not accompanied by any documents. The guarded truck was taken to a temporary warehouse while the criminal case is being resolved.


Earlier this month, officials from the Smolensk Customs seized 1 million packages of Belarusian duty-free cigarettes worth 100 million rubles (approximately 10.18 million yuan).



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

Product | BAT Expands VELO Peach Ice Medium to FamilyMart Stores Nationwide in Japan
Product | BAT Expands VELO Peach Ice Medium to FamilyMart Stores Nationwide in Japan
British American Tobacco Japan (BAT Japan) expanded VELO Peach Ice Medium to FamilyMart stores nationwide in Japan from September 7, 2026. The oral tobacco product first launched on July 6 and had previously been sold through VELO's official online store, glo Store Ginza and tobacco retailers. It combines peach flavor with menthol cooling at a Medium strength level and is priced at JPY 360. Japanese tobacco retailers list 15 pouches per pack. The move adds the new SKU to an existing nationwide FamilyMart distribution network for VELO rather than marking the brand's first entry into the convenience-store chain.
Sep.15
Australia Extends Illicit Tobacco Crackdown From Tougher Penalties to Customs and Logistics Supply Chains
Australia Extends Illicit Tobacco Crackdown From Tougher Penalties to Customs and Logistics Supply Chains
Australia's federal government introduced a new illicit tobacco enforcement bill on September 10 that would strengthen evidentiary presumptions, representative sampling, seizure and forfeiture procedures, proceeds-of-crime powers and obligations for customs and logistics operators. The proposal follows the Combatting Illicit Tobacco Act 2026, which took effect in August and increased penalties while expanding investigative and asset-recovery tools. Together, the reforms extend Australia's crackdown from tougher criminal sanctions into import, logistics and evidentiary enforcement.
Sep.14
South Korea Fully Reviews Nicotine-Analog and Nicotine-Free Vape Liquid Imports, With Over 99% From China and Chinese Supply-Chain Documents Under Scrutiny
South Korea Fully Reviews Nicotine-Analog and Nicotine-Free Vape Liquid Imports, With Over 99% From China and Chinese Supply-Chain Documents Under Scrutiny
Korea Customs Service has tightened import controls on nicotine-analog and nicotine-free e-cigarette liquids, placing the products under 100% document review and subjecting all e-cigarette liquid import declarations to pre-clearance ingredient analysis. As of September 20, 2026, South Korea had imported about 15 metric tons of nicotine-analog liquids, 99.99% from China, and about 316 metric tons of nicotine-free liquids, including roughly 315 metric tons, or 99.7%, from China. The measures follow South Korea's April expansion of its tobacco definition to include synthetic nicotine products and include new checks on Chinese manufacturing, transaction and export documentation.
Sep.24
Elf Bar Vape Explosion and Amputation Claim Spurs Coverage Suit, U.S. Insurer MUSIC Seeks Ruling It Owes No Duty to Defend or Indemnify Distributor i5
Elf Bar Vape Explosion and Amputation Claim Spurs Coverage Suit, U.S. Insurer MUSIC Seeks Ruling It Owes No Duty to Defend or Indemnify Distributor i5
Mesa Underwriters Specialty Insurance Company has asked a federal court in Washington to declare that it has no duty to defend or indemnify vape distributor i5 Distribution in a product liability case involving an Elf Bar BC5000. The plaintiff alleges that the disposable vape caught fire and exploded in his pocket, causing severe burns and ultimately requiring an above-the-knee amputation of his left leg. MUSIC is relying on a tobacco, nicotine or nicotine replacement products exclusion and a premises limitation endorsement. The court has not ruled on the coverage dispute.
News
Sep.10
JTI Invests ₱2.1 Billion to Upgrade Batangas Manufacturing Hub, Adds First Southeast Asia DIET Facility
JTI Invests ₱2.1 Billion to Upgrade Batangas Manufacturing Hub, Adds First Southeast Asia DIET Facility
JTI Asia Manufacturing Corp. has invested ₱2.1 billion, or about $37 million, in its manufacturing site in Malvar, Batangas, Philippines, to expand tobacco-processing capabilities. About ₱1.9 billion is allocated to JTI's first Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco, or DIET, facility in Southeast Asia, while more than ₱177 million has been spent on expanding its Controlled Atmosphere treatment facility. The Batangas plant supplies the Philippine market and exports to 22 overseas markets, making it one of JTI's key manufacturing hubs in Asia.
Sep.24
Kumulus Vape2026 H1 Revenue Falls 8.3% but Profit Rises 24% as B2B Weakens and Consumer Channels Grow
Kumulus Vape2026 H1 Revenue Falls 8.3% but Profit Rises 24% as B2B Weakens and Consumer Channels Grow
French vaping company Kumulus Vape reported first-half 2026 revenue of €25.5 million, down 8.3% year over year, as its core B2B distribution business fell 11% to €21.6 million. B2C and store-network revenue rose 5.6% and 17.8%, respectively. Commercial margin increased to 26.3% from 21.7%, while net profit rose 24.1% to €0.8 million. The company attributed the profitability improvement to catalog optimization, logistics restructuring and the ramp-up of Labster, its in-house production unit for proprietary brands.
Market
Sep.17 by 2Firsts Perspectives