Illegal sale of cigarettes without excise stamps: Odesa court passes sentence based on ESBU materials

 Based on materials of the detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Odesa region, a court has delivered a verdict against a 51-year-old native of Armenia who organized the sale of illegally manufactured tobacco products.

During the pre-trial investigation, detectives established that since the beginning of the year, the individual had been illegally selling cigarettes at inflated prices without the required licenses or permits.

Orders were accepted via Telegram channels and shipped by mail across Ukraine. The goods were stored in containers at Odesa’s "Pivdennyi" market and in a garage cooperative located in the Kyivskyi district of Odesa.

During searches of the suspect's residence and storage sites for excise goods, ESBU detectives discovered over 27,000 packs of tobacco products. The seized goods, valued at over UAH 3.8 million, have been placed under arrest.

"Cigarettes without excise stamps represent direct budget losses and support for illicit schemes. We are systematically halting such illicit deals and will continue to respond strictly to any violations. In 2025 alone, excise goods worth over UAH 202.1 million were seized from illegal circulation," noted Serhii Muntian, Head of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Odesa region.

The individual was notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 204 (illegal manufacture, storage, sale, or transportation for the purpose of sale of excise goods) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The court found him guilty and imposed a fine of UAH 130,000, along with the confiscation and destruction of the illegally manufactured goods.

Operational support was provided by the Strategic Economic Protection Detectives Department and officers from the Maritime Guard of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Procedural oversight was carried out by prosecutors of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.