Andorran-French Operation Dismantles Tobacco Smuggling Ring with 10 Arrests

A joint Andorran-French operation has dismantled a tobacco smuggling network linking an Andorran distributor to a family-based group near Perpinyà, resulting in six arrests in Andorra and four in France.

The probe, coordinated by Eurojust and involving Andorran police, customs, and French gendarmes, began in April 2024 when local authorities noticed French vehicles collecting large tobacco loads from Andorra, often at night. A 37-year-old resident allegedly handled deliveries of around 500 cartons per exchange from a storage unit and public facilities. Investigators traced the activity to a tobacco distributor, where its 64-year-old director is accused of enabling off-hours shipments. To evade detection, invoices were split and issued to a Pas de la Casa shop, whose 43-year-old owner—already under scrutiny for money laundering tied to smuggling—was also detained.

The effort peaked with a customs anti-fraud check in Canillo. Two French vehicles tried to dodge it; one breached the Envalira tunnel barrier but was stopped at the border, yielding 6,250 cigarette packets worth €24,480. Its 20-year-old non-resident driver was arrested. Raids on the Pas de la Casa shop, distributor premises, and suspects' homes seized €70,000 in cash, documents, electronics, and five vehicles. Officials estimate the network moved tobacco valued at about €1 million.

French surveillance, using vehicle audio bugs, hidden cameras, and geolocation, identified frequent convoys—sometimes daily—from Andorra to Pyrénées-Orientales. Three of the four French suspects remain in pre-trial detention, facing charges of organised tobacco importation and possession, criminal association, aiding irregular residence, and aggravated money laundering. Several transport vehicles were confiscated there too.

A related probe uncovered prostitution activity: the 37-year-old suspect transported three women, leading to a flat in Andorra la Vella where up to 14 women reportedly worked since September 2024. A 26-year-old non-resident woman was arrested for alleged management of the site.

Andorran detainees, including the distributor director and five others, were held in February 2025. They face charges related to socioeconomic order, justice administration, and sexual liberty violations. The case remains open on both sides of the border, with more actions possible.