The ESBU uncovers the tobacco products distribution channel worth nearly 2 million UAH

 The illicit scheme for selling non-duty-paid tobacco products of famous global brands was uncovered and blocked by detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Kyiv region.

More than 9,000 packs of counterfeit cigarettes, a cargo vehicle, and cash totaling nearly 2 million UAH were seized from illegal circulation.

The investigation established that the group members purchased counterfeit cigarettes without excise duty stamps and sold them en masse via websites and popular messengers. The suspects organized the delivery of the orders across Ukraine through a well-known postal operator, using their own transport to haul large shipments of goods.

During investigative actions in the Kyiv and Chernivtsi regions, ESBU detectives uncovered a significant amount of non-duty-paid goods, mobile phones, laptops, and ledger entries tracking profits and the client base. Additionally, nearly 2 million UAH in cash and a minibus used for transporting the goods were seized.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing under Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 1 of Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, and sale of excisable goods, committed by a group of persons upon prior conspiracy). Currently, Bureau detectives are conducting a set of necessary investigative actions to determine the raw material supply channels and identify all participants in the illegal business.

Operational support was provided by the strategic economic protection detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Kyiv region and personnel of the "Kyiv" Separate Border Crossing Checkpoint of the State Border Guard Service.
The prosecution is led by prosecutors of the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The ESBU continues to systematically clear the market of counterfeit goods, protecting the economic interests of the state and legal businesses.