Source: Correio da Paraíba - João Pessoa / PB - 30/11/2009

The Federal Highway Police seized on Monday morning (30), 4 packages of smuggled cigarettes from Paraguay that were being transported in a truck hidden under boxes of vegetables.

The flagrant was at 11 am at the Bayeux PRF Post, at km 32 of the BR-230 highway, during a routine inspection. The Volkswagen truck had one of the plates partially covered (traffic violation) and when documentation was requested from both the driver and the passenger, both showed nervousness. Reason why there was suspicion that something could be wrong.

Erivaldo Elias de Souza, 27 years old (driver) and José Nunes da Silva, 22 years old (assistant), both residing in the city of Catingueira, Sertão paraibano, did not inform the origin of the smuggled goods.

The first said he was going to the city of Sapé to take a load. The other informed that they would be going to the Sertão “hitting” (an expression used by truck drivers when there is no certain cargo available).

The goods, packed in 99 boxes along with those accused of the crime of smuggling, were sent to the Federal Police in João Pessoa.