A POLICE check on a lorry parked on a hard shoulder uncovered a stash of 255,000 packs of counterfeit cigarettes with a retail value of over €1.4 million.
The driver was arrested by the Policia Nacional for smuggling and fake product offences.
The man was detained early last week when a police patrol was driving from Benidorm to provide assistance to Denia following storm damage.
STOCK IMAGE OF POLICIA NACIONAL, BENIDORM. CREDIT: POLICIA NACIONAL.
Officers spotted the large lorry that had stopped on the high shoulder and which was potentially was a danger to other road users.
The patrol noticed that the driver was in a very nervous state and offered conflicting explanations about his destination and the goods he was carrying.
He told officers that he was transporting a cargo of napkins, which the officers did not believe was the case since his consignment form listed other products.
An inspection revealed 17 pallets hidden a large plastic sheet, which was hiding 255,000 packs of counterfeit tobacco, totalling around 5.1 million cigarettes.
The number exceeded the financial limit proscribed by law and the driver was charged with smuggling.
It was revealed that the man had a criminal record for other offences.
No further details have been revealed about the detainee including his nationality or where he started his journey and his planned destination.
The consignment will be officially analysed before being destroyed once legal proceedings against the truck driver have been completed.
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