In order to ensure compensation for losses caused to the state in the amount of UAH 270 million, detectives of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine initiated the seizure of more than 450 cars and minibuses used by one of the largest distributors of tobacco products.

The investigation established that in 2020-2021, officials of the mentioned company documented the sale of tobacco products to a number of companies with signs of

The total value of sold excise goods is UAH 1.17 billion. In fact, no sales of tobacco products were made to these companies. In fact, the sale took place off the record for cash, incl. through a network of its own retail stores.

Accordingly, the company in order to hide such economic transactions did not reflect them in the accounting and financial statements of the enterprise.

In this way the company deliberately avoided paying income tax and excise tax, which led to the fact that funds in the amount of more than UAH 270 million were not received in the budget.

Analyzing the economic activity of the distributor company, according to the information of the Unified State register of vehicles the company owns more than 450 cars. These vehicles were probably acquired as a result of deliberate tax evasion, i.e. acquired illegally and were used to transport the mentioned tobacco products.

In order to preserve material evidence and prevent illegal actions with vehicles and in the future to ensure compensation for damages caused to the state, detectives of the ESBU sent a request to seize the distributor's movable property which was granted by the court.

As previously reported the general director of the company was notified of suspicion of deliberate tax evasion (Part 3 of Article 212 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The pre-trial investigation is carried out by detectives of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine under the operational support of employees of the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine and the procedural guidance of prosecutors of the Office of the Prosecutor General.