Detectives of the Territorial Administration of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Lviv region exposed a large-scale scheme for the sale of illegally manufactured tobacco products, including their smuggling abroad.

Detectives of the ESBU onducted an urgent inspection of a truck transporting excise goods in the Lviv region and a search of a warehouse in the Zakarpattia region.

During the raids more than 330,000 packs of tobacco products without excise tax stamps and almost 1.5 tons of tobacco for hookah and a vehicle were discovered and seized. Draft records and documentation testifying to the illegal activities of the mentioned persons were also seized.

The estimated total value of excise goods seized from illegal circulation is almost UAH 18 million.

At present, measures are being taken to establish the full circle of persons involved in the scheme, primary investigative actions are being carried out.

Pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings on the grounds of a criminal offense provided for in Part 1 of Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal storage and transportation for the purpose of sale of excise goods) is carried out by detectives of the Territorial Administration of the ESBU in the Lviv region under the procedural guidance of the prosecutors of the Lviv regional prosecutor's office.