Odesa region seizes illegal production of cigarettes on an industrial scale

Law enforcement officers found and liquidated an illegal workshop for the production of cigarettes on an industrial scale. During the searches, tobacco products and equipment worth more than UAH 5.6 million were seized.

This was reported by the Bureau of Economic Security.

According to preliminary data, a resident of Odesa region organized underground production in non-residential premises near the border with Moldova. He was assisted by two other residents of the Bolhrad district. The cigarettes were manufactured in unsanitary conditions, packaged in 20-packs without excise stamps, and then sent for sale.

Photo: Bureau of Economic Security

The goods were delivered to customers throughout Ukraine by mail. Offers, prices and terms of purchase were published in a specially created channel in the Viber messenger.

Law enforcement officers conducted searches at the production site and at the suspects' residences. As a result, they seized over 112 kg of tobacco, more than 10 thousand packs of cigarettes without excise duty, equipment for manufacturing and packaging, and 132 thousand empty cartridges.

Photo: Bureau of Economic Security

All three participants in the case were notified of suspicion under the article on illegal manufacture and sale of excisable goods committed by a group of persons. They face a fine of up to UAH 170 thousand with confiscation of all seized products.

Recently, on the border with Moldova, a smuggler was exposed who tried to import a batch of e-cigarettes worth almost UAH 14.5 million to Odesa region.

Earlier, the SBU detectives exposed a resident of Odesa who was storing counterfeit cigarettes of well-known brands in a warehouse. The total value of the goods is almost UAH 6 million.

Another resident of Odesa organized underground production of cigarettes and then sold them on local markets. During the searches, the SBU seized goods worth over UAH 11 million.

The BES detectives also served suspicion notices to four people who set up illegal production of cigarettes on an industrial scale in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi.

Ірина Глухова