Customs intercept RN20 convoy, seize 6,000 cigarette packs and 420L of alcohol

“Neither tobacco nor alcohol are part of the promotions,” the Ariège customs authority said after a special control on the RN20 near Ax‑les‑Thermes intercepted a convoy carrying a large quantity of contraband.

On Sunday 30 November, French customs officers deployed a checkpoint on the RN20 and spotted a line of vehicles making unusual maneuvers as they approached the mandatory control point. Several drivers attempted to flee, but officers managed to stop, immobilise and search multiple cars.

Agents found around 6,000 packets of cigarettes and about 420 litres of alcoholic beverages in the vehicles. The bags containing the tobacco bore markings indicating the goods had been purchased in Andorra, leading authorities to treat the seizure as an organised attempt to introduce products illegally into France.

The cars involved in the convoy were confiscated and the seized merchandise was destroyed by incineration, the customs service reported. Identified drivers were fined; the case remains under investigation and could result in criminal proceedings.

The interception came as Ariège authorities intensified controls on cross‑border trafficking. A large regional operation in early December deployed hundreds of gendarmes, border police, canine units and aerial support to target drug and tobacco trafficking, and to reinforce checks along major routes such as the RN20. Authorities said the RN20 remains one of the most heavily monitored points for customs enforcement in the area.