Vienna Airport customs at Schwechat recorded 6,406 seizures in 2024, significantly more than the 4,146 in 2023. According to a report released on Tuesday, authorities uncovered and confiscated 295 kilograms of cannabis, 3.3 million euros in undeclared cash, 1.6 million cigarettes, and more than 73,000 counterfeit items worth a total of 12 million euros. A total of 101,000 inspections were carried out.
The range of seizures included drug and cash smuggling, counterfeit goods, and violations of species protection laws. State Secretary Barbara Eibinger-Miedl highlighted the dedication and expertise of the 283 customs officers at the Eastern Customs Office. She described the detection rate of over six percent as high. Heike Fetka-Blüthner, head of the Austrian Customs Office, said Vienna Airport is a hotspot for both passenger and goods traffic. The Eastern Office processed 1.4 million customs clearances in the past year. The 101,000 inspections included 44,000 passengers and 57,000 vehicles, packages, and postal shipments.
Customs team leader Roland Karner reported that the 295 kilograms of cannabis represented an increase of 225 kilograms compared to the previous year. Seized cash tripled from one million euros to 3.3 million. One noteworthy case involved three male passengers from Cairo caught with 170,000 cigarettes packed into eleven suitcases. Total cigarette seizures rose from 600,000 in 2023 to 1.6 million. Additionally, 15,000 cigars were confiscated, up from 2,400 the previous year.
Product counterfeiting remains on the rise. Seized fake goods included jewelry, clothing, handbags, and watches worth 2.5 million euros. Nearly ten tons of animal products and sixteen tons of plant-based goods were removed from circulation. Among the 73,000 fake items were 35,000 mobile phones and accessories worth around two million euros, 3,900 items of clothing worth 1.1 million euros, and 3,100 pairs of shoes worth 897,000 euros. Another case involved 4,500 counterfeit plush toys, which were destroyed as part of a special operation.
