The Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine has dismantled an online scheme selling illicitly manufactured cigarettes in Odesa

 A man who set up the sale of illicitly manufactured tobacco products via Telegram will stand trial in Odesa. Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the  Odesa region have completed the pre-trial investigation into a resident of the Odesa district who illegally purchased and resold tobacco products without the required licenses.

The investigation established that the man created a dedicated channel in the Telegram messenger, which he used to sell cigarettes of various brands. For conspiracy, he communicated with buyers exclusively through the messenger and sent orders via a postal operator.

The suspect stored the illicitly manufactured tobacco products in a non-residential building in the village of Lymanka, Odesa district. To mask his activities when shipping the goods, the man used the personal data of another individual who was unaware of his illegal enterprise.

The suspect was caught while selling another batch of illicitly manufactured cigarettes. During an authorized search, ESBU detectives seized nearly 6,000 packs of tobacco products without excise tax stamps, valued at over UAH 1.2 million.

It was established that the cigarettes did not meet the requirements of the current legislation of Ukraine, and their sale on the territory of Ukraine is prohibited. In order to ensure compensation for the damage caused as a result of the criminal offense, the seized property has been placed under arrest.

The man was notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—illegal acquisition for the purpose of sale, storage, transportation, and sale of illicitly manufactured tobacco products. The indictment has been forwarded to the court.

The sanction of the article provides for a penalty in the form of a tax-free minimum income of 5,000 to 10,000 tax-free minimum incomes of citizens, with the confiscation and destruction of the illicitly manufactured goods.

Oversight of the legal proceedings was carried out by prosecutors of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court's verdict of guilty.