Massive strike by ESBU on the shadow vape market

 The illegal vape market operated by its own rules for years. The ESBU is consistently stripping it of its primary resource—the ability to remain in the shadow sector. Hundreds of searches, 12 regions, dozens of cities. Property worth over UAH 150 million was seized.

This is not about isolated cases of illegal trade but about full-scale shadow networks operating nationwide, which functioned for years like business structures with their own production sites, logistics, and distribution channels. Below are just individual episodes of the ESBU's work in dismantling this infrastructure.

One of the largest exposures was a special operation by detectives of the Main Detective Unit of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, in partnership with the National Police of Ukraine, under the procedural oversight of the Prosecutor General's Office.

The operation shut down an organized group that built a full-cycle illegal production of electronic cigarette liquid components and sold them through a network of stores, retail outlets, and islands in shopping malls. Over 100 searches were conducted simultaneously in 12 regions of Ukraine.

Property was seized, including production lines, hundreds of thousands of components, and over 36,000 smoking devices.

Vinnytsia Oblast—dozens of stores, hundreds of thousands of products, and millions in illegal profits. Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU dismantled a large-scale scheme for selling illegally manufactured products, which spanned 38 stores in Vinnytsia and 17 other cities across the region. Sales were carried out through controlled entrepreneurs without the required licenses and excise stamps.

During the searches, over UAH 2 million in cash, more than 90,000 units of liquids and components, equipment, and documentation confirming illegal activity were seized. The estimated value of the seized property exceeds UAH 25 million. The organizer of the scheme and two accomplices were served with notices of suspicion. The organizer is also charged with money laundering of criminally obtained income amounting to nearly UAH 67 million.

Odesa Oblast—thousands of components and finished products were seized, and the organizer of the supply and distribution channel was served with a notice of suspicion. Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU conducted 11 searches and seized products and funds worth over UAH 5.4 million, of which nearly UAH 4.7 million consisted of illegal excise goods.

Among the seized items were nearly 12,000 units of glycerin, almost 7,000 units of nicotine, over 16,000 flavorings, about 2,700 cartridges, and nearly 1,800 electronic cigarettes.

The results of these operations demonstrate a shift in approach—from reacting to isolated offenses to a comprehensive impact on entire shadow segments of the economy. The ESBU continues its systemic work on de-shadowing the market of excise goods, protecting budget revenues, and creating fair conditions for legal businesses.