A 60-year-old man of Cuban origin and Spanish nationality was arrested at the border crossing of La Jonquera, in the Catalan province of Girona, while attempting to cross into France with nearly a thousand cigars featuring labels from well-known commercial brands in his suitcase, according to several Spanish media reports.
The detainee was traveling by bus on the Murcia-Paris route when the National Police Border Group of La Jonquera conducted a routine immigration check.
Upon inspecting the luggage, agents found 997 cigars with the designation of origin “Habanos” and brand labels such as Cohiba, Montecristo, and Partagás, the authenticity of which is yet to be determined.
The unusual packaging system and the absence of origin guarantee seals raised the agents' suspicions.
According to information from La Vanguardia, “inside they found 40 bundles containing cigars distributed in bulk within transparent plastic sleeves”, without their original boxes and without the guarantee seals of origin required by regulations.
Estimated value: over 226,000 euros
The estimated value of the merchandise, based on the official prices of the legal market, amounts to 226,714 euros, although it is still pending to determine whether the seized cigars are authentic.
The Diari de Tarragona noted that “the value of 226,714 euros corresponds to an estimate based on the official prices of the legal market, while it is still pending to determine if the product is genuine.”
In light of the unusual packaging system and the absence of origin seals, the National Police requested expertise from the brands themselves to verify whether the cigars are genuine or counterfeit.
The results of those investigations were still pending at the time the news was published.
The arrested individual, whose identity has not been disclosed, was brought before the court on suspicion of smuggling and was released after giving a statement to the judge.
The penalties for smuggling
The Organic Law 12/1995 on the Suppression of Smuggling establishes specific conditions under which certain activities related to tobacco work are considered smuggling offenses.
The legislation includes prison sentences and fines for smuggling offenses, with their application and amount depending on the specific circumstances of the case and the assessment of the seized goods.
In the case of La Jonquera, the goods were initially valued at over 226,000 euros based on the official prices of the legal market.
Nonetheless, the final assessment and any potential criminal consequences will depend, among other factors, on the outcome of the expert evaluations regarding the authenticity of the cigars.
Other recent cases
In July 2026, the Civil Guard dismantled in Mislata, Valencia, an illegal workshop that manufactured and distributed counterfeit cigars from brands such as Cohiba and Punch.
In that case, there were three arrests, four individuals under investigation, and the seizure of 33,840 cigars and 637,646 counterfeit cigar bands intended for several European countries.
Months earlier, in March of this year, a 41-year-old Cuban was arrested at A Coruña Airport with 198 cigars and 4,400 cigarettes, in another case related to irregular trafficking.
From the Cuban side, Customs has also intensified its controls.
The export of cigars from Cuba is subject to customs regulations that establish requirements and limits based on the quantity transported and the documentation that can prove their legal acquisition.
In July 2026, more than 4,000 cigars were intercepted at Havana airport bound for Panama, while in February an attempt to take 3,800 units out of the island was thwarted.
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