A shipment of more than 8.7 million counterfeit cigarettes was seized in western Mexico.

Mexican authorities seized a cargo of more than 8.78 million counterfeit or smuggled cigarettes originating from Hong Kong, China. The operation took place on a Thursday at the maritime customs office in Lázaro Cárdenas, located in the western state of Michoacán, according to reports from the Secretariat.

The shipment, consisting of millions of illicit units entering through a major western port, highlights ongoing efforts by authorities to intercept illegal foreign goods entering the country's maritime trade routes.