Illegal sale of e-cigarettes: court sentences offender based on ESBU material

 Based on materials provided by detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Odesa region, a court has found a Mykolaiv resident guilty of organizing the sale of illicitly manufactured electronic cigarettes and e-liquids via the Internet.

Over the course of four years, the defendant purchased illegally produced goods online without any supporting documents or certificates of conformity. He subsequently resold these products through his company's website, which specializes in the trade of household electrical appliances.

The man created a dedicated tab titled "Electronic cigarettes" within the "Tourism and Hobbies" product block on the web portal. This was intended to mask the activity under the guise of legal trade. He also established a multi-level communication system with clients via secure digital platforms.

During searches at the storage locations for the illicit products, detectives discovered over 1 million UAH in cash, more than 900 units of e-cigarettes, liquids, and replacement cartridges, mobile and office equipment, draft records, and a vehicle. The total value of the seized items amounts to nearly 3.7 million UAH.

To ensure compensation for the damages caused by the criminal offense, the court placed a seizure order on the confiscated goods and property.

Based on the evidence collected, the court found the man guilty of committing a criminal offense under Part 1 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal acquisition for the purpose of sale, storage for this purpose, sale, and transportation for the purpose of sale of illegally manufactured excisable goods).

The defendant was sentenced to a fine of 85,000 UAH, with the confiscation and destruction of the illegally manufactured goods.

Operational support was provided by the ESBU Strategic Economic Protection Detective Department and the Southern Regional Directorate of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Procedural oversight was conducted by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office.