The detectives of the Territorial Department of the ESBU in the Lviv region stopped the activities of an underground workshop on the production of cigarettes . Three persons were notified of the suspicion.

The full range of involved persons is being established and information on the illegal export of tobacco products to the countries of the European Union is being checked.

The investigation established that the suspects organized an underground shop for the production of world-famous tobacco products, as well as their storage in the Volyn region. In the future, counterfeit cigarettes were sold in the Lviv region. According to preliminary estimates, the production facilities allowed the production of up to. 20.000 packs of cigarettes.

During the searches, the law enforcement officers discovered and seized equipment for the manufacture of cigarettes, equipment for their packaging, package wrappers and more than 5.5 tons of tobacco. The total value of seized goods and material values is about UAH 20 million , including the value of excise goods is UAH 2 million.

Currently the suspect has been remanded in custody. In order to compensate for the damage caused, the property of the suspects was seized.

Pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings on the grounds of a criminal offence provided for in Part 3 of Art. 28, Part 2, Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacture of tobacco products, commission of a criminal offence by a group of persons) is carried out by detectives of the Territorial Department of the Security Intelligence Service in Lviv region under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor's Office of Lviv region and under the operational support of the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police of Ukraine in Lviv region.We will remind that the State Security Bureau is investigating a case of tax evasion in the amount of more than UAH 270 million. The general director of the tobacco company was informed about the suspicion.