Tobacco conveyor in Kremenchuk: 9 participants in underground production will stand trial

 2 industrial lines, about 38 tons of raw tobacco materials, and over 240 thousand packs of counterfeit cigarettes—such are the results of searches at the illegal production facility of tobacco products in Kremenchuk. The estimated value of the seized items is about 50 million UAH.

Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Chernivtsi region completed the pretrial investigation in the criminal proceedings regarding the participants in the illegal production and sale of excisable goods. The indictment regarding 9 suspects was sent to the court.

According to the investigation, the participants of the scheme turned an industrial base in Kremenchuk into an illegal tobacco factory. Raw materials for cigarette production were supplied from Bukovyna, and a full cycle was organized on-site—from tobacco processing to the manufacturing and packaging of finished products. The counterfeit goods were manufactured under various trademarks and then sold throughout Ukraine through an established distribution network.

In total, within the framework of the criminal proceedings, 12 participants in the illegal activity were notified of suspicion. Regarding 9 of them, the pretrial investigation has been completed, and the case has been sent to court. The materials regarding another three suspects have been separated into a separate proceeding due to them being put on the wanted list.

The actions of the suspects have been qualified under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Operational support was carried out by employees of the Department of Operational and Investigative Activities of the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Procedural guidance - Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict.