An organized group was sentenced in the Vinnytsia region for illicit manufacturing of tobacco and alcohol products

 Based on materials provided by detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Vinnytsia region, a court has found the organizer and five members of an organized crime group guilty and passed a sentence for the illegal manufacture and sale of tobacco and alcohol products.

The pre-trial investigation established that the production was carried out through artisanal methods without the required permits, with sales distributed across the region and throughout the country.

During the searches, detectives discovered and seized more than 50,000 hand-rolled filtered cigarettes, nearly 15,000 packs of tobacco products disguised as domestic and foreign brands, over a ton of raw tobacco, hundreds of thousands of cigarette tubes, empty cardboard packs, zip-lock bags, electric automatic tobacco-filling machines, and compressors. Additionally, over 4,000 liters of alcohol and alcoholic beverages, which the group's organizer produced and sold personally, were seized.

The actions of the organizer and group members were qualified under Parts 2 and 3 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 28, Parts 1 and 2 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — illegal manufacturing of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, their possession with intent to sell, and subsequent sale, committed by an organized group.

By the court's verdict, the accused were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 3 years to 3 years and 3 months, with a 2-year probation period. The group organizer was fined UAH 110,500, and all illegally manufactured products, equipment, and raw materials were confiscated and destroyed.

During the court proceedings, the defendants voluntarily transferred over UAH 400,000 to the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Operational support was provided by officers of the SSU Office in the Vinnytsia region. Procedural guidance was carried out by the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor's Office.