Baku customs foils smuggling of 16,000 medicine units from Istanbul

Officers of the Chief Customs Department for Air Transport intercepted an attempt to smuggle a major shipment of pharmaceuticals into Azerbaijan, the State Customs Committee reported.

An Azerbaijani citizen arriving on a flight from Istanbul attempted to exit the customs border zone through the Green Channel but was redirected to the Red Channel for inspection. Stationary X-ray scans of the traveler's hand luggage and checked baggage revealed suspicious item contours.

A comprehensive manual search subsequently uncovered 16,036 undeclared pharmaceutical items spanning 36 distinct brand names. Customs authorities have launched a formal inquiry into the case.