Skopje, 7 August 2025 (MIA) - Customs officials have seized gold jewellery worth Mden 1.3 million during a control of a bus entering the country at the Bogorodica border crossing. Two female passengers travelling between Turkey and Macedonia are suspected in the case, and criminal charges over smuggling will be filed against, the Customs Administration said in a press release on Thursday.

During control and search, customs teams found 22 and 14-carat gold, weighing a total of 304 grams, as well as gold guarantee certificates. For this jewellery, Mden 481,000 of taxes were due to the state. Both passengers are Macedonian citizens with residence in the Netherlands. 

The Customs Administration also said that customs officials at the Deve Bair border crossing have foiled an attempt to smuggle 210 vials of botulinum toxin for injection - a substance used in medicine and subject to a strict import regime.

The products were seized during a control and search of a bus travelling on the Istanbul-Prizren route. The suspect's travel bag contained 170 vials of DYSPORT 500 and 40 vials of MASPORT 500, both containing botulinum toxin type A.

In addition, customs officials seized 44 packages with a total of 2,580 capsules of "Afye" supplements at the Skopje International Airport. The supplements were found in the suitcase of a Dutch citizen who, on arriving by a flight from Izmir, headed towards the green channel with the intention of avoiding customs control.

Customs officials also found a total of 144 parts for agricultural machinery during a control of a truck entering the country, carried out by the Mobile Scanner Service at the Tabanovce border crossing. The parts for agricultural machinery were hidden in bags, placed in the cabin of the truck.

In addition, 21 cartons of cigarettes were also seized after they were found hidden under the trailer of an empty dump truck with Macedonian license plates, driven by a Macedonian citizen, declared for entry in the country at the Bogorodica border crossing.

At the Dojran border crossing, customs teams seized 128 pairs of branded shoes, due to reasonable suspicion of infringement of intellectual property rights.

The case was uncovered during a control of a freight vehicle with Macedonian license plates loaded with goods originating in Turkey, destined for an importer from Kosovo.

Also, during a control of a shipment originating from Dubai, declared for import customs clearance, customs officials at the Skopje International Airport found 74 smartwatch straps, which were not covered by the customs documents. The goods intended for an importer from Skopje have been seized, and appropriate proceedings will be brought against.

Photo: Customs Administration