Detectives of the Territorial Department of the Economic Security Bureau in Volyn region served a notice of suspicion to members of an organized criminal group (OCG) engaged in illegal production of alcoholic beverages.

In specially equipped workshops, three Ukrainian citizens mixed alcohol with water, then added dyes and flavoring agents. In this way the individuals obtained a marketable form of alcoholic beverages. The finished products with labels of well-known manufacturers were sold in the region and through a network of wholesale and retail trade.

Law enforcement officers exposed one of the accomplices while he was trying to sell another batch of illegally manufactured products. The ESBU and the National Police also conducted 14 searches at the places of alcohol production and residences of the suspects.

The searches resulted in the seizure of about 2,600 liters of alcohol, almost 1,700 liters of ready-to-sell products with counterfeit excise stamps and 2,600 packs of counterfeit cigarettes without excise stamps. The estimated value of the seized and arrested property is UAH 2 million.

The organizer of the scheme and two of his assistants were served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 Art. 28, Part 1 and 2 Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacture, storage, sale or transportation with intent to sell excisable goods). The issue of choosing a type of detention is being decided.

The pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings is being carried out by detectives of the ESBU in Volyn region under the procedural supervision of prosecutors of the Volyn regional Prosecutor's Office and in cooperation with the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police.

Recently, detectives of the Territorial Department ESBU in Volyn region completed an investigation into an organized criminal group that was engaged in the illegal manufacture and wholesale of alcoholic beverages. Read more https://esbu.gov.ua/en/news/esbu-submits-to-court-indictment-against-organizers-of-illegal-alcohol-production-in-volyn-region