September 28, 2026
Reading time • 5 min
Customs Seizes Illegal Bus Carrying About 500 Cartons of Cigarettes and 800 Weight Loss Pills in Foz do Iguaçu
The vehicle was headed to Santa Catarina without authorization from the ANTT and was transporting passengers on top of cartons of cigarettes; two drivers were take in custody
On the afternoon of Saturday, September 26th, during a routine operation, customs agents stopped a chartered bus carrying 22 passengers bound for the municipalities of Criciúma and Tubarão, in Santa Catarina. The vehicle was operating without authorization from the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) and without the required passenger manifest.
During the inspection, officials found a large quantity of contraband cigarettes, estimated at between 300 and 500 cartons. The contraband filled the entire luggage compartment as well as the upper section of the bus, where passengers were seated directly on top of the cartons.
In addition to the cigarettes, approximately 800 ampoules of weight-loss medication that had been illegally brought into the country were found. Approximately 200 ampoules were hidden in a compartment inside the vehicle itself, while the rest were found inside an unidentified backpack in the passenger area.
In light of the irregularities and evidence of smuggling and trafficking, the two drivers -a father and son- were arrested in the act and taken to the Federal Police Station in Foz do Iguaçu for appropriate legal action.
The bus was sealed and impounded at the customs yard, where it will undergo a detailed valuation and the tax and administrative procedures required by law.
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