Illegal cigarette smuggling in the port of Zeebrugge is not new. Three years ago, a record catch of 20 million fish was intercepted here. In Zeebrugge, customs know that container traffic to Asia is vulnerable to counterfeiting and loads containing illegal tobacco.
“We receive very large ships here. It is then typical that counterfeit cigarettes are manufactured in China. These are so-called cheap white products,” explains Frederick Vanneste of Customs in Zeebrugge.