Underground alcohol workshop in a private household in Zakarpattia: five suspects notified of suspicion

 Over 48 thousand liters of alcohol, over 9,500 packs of cigarettes without excise tax stamps, and nearly 1,000 bottles of illegally manufactured alcohol were seized during the exposure of an underground production in Zakarpattia. The total value of the seized products is over 8.3 million UAH. Five suspects were notified of suspicion.

The illegal activity was documented by detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Zakarpattia region together with operatives of the Department of Internal Security of the National Police of Ukraine.

The investigation established that residents of the Uzhhorod district organized a full cycle of illegal manufacturing and sale of alcohol—from the purchase of raw materials, containers, and forged excise tax stamps to the production, packaging, and sale of finished products. The underground workshop was set up on the territory of a private household. The counterfeit goods were sold through grocery stores, cafes, and so-called "nalivaikas" (cheap drinking establishments), mostly in rural areas of Zakarpattia.

The organizer provided the production with raw materials and components, while his son was responsible for logistics, finding sales outlets, and supplying the counterfeit products. Other persons were also involved in the illegal activity.

Within the framework of the investigation, nine controlled purchases of alcohol products were conducted. The organizer was detained directly during the illegal manufacturing of alcohol.

During 29 searches on the territory of the Zakarpattia and Lviv regions, in addition to excisable products, equipment for its illegal production, vehicles, cash, forged excise tax stamps, waybills, and rough records were seized.

Two suspects were notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 199, Parts 1, 2 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal operations with forged excise tax stamps, illegal manufacturing and sale of alcoholic beverages), and another three under Part 2 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacturing of alcoholic beverages).

A preventive measure in the form of detention was chosen for the organizer and one of the accomplices, and house arrest for the other three.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing. Operational support is carried out by the Zakarpattia Department of the Internal Security Department of the National Police of Ukraine, and procedural guidance by the Zakarpattia Regional Prosecutor's Office.

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