Underground cigarette production with a capacity of over 50,000 per day: ESBU serves notices of suspicion to six suspects

 Detectives of the Main Detective Unit of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine have served notices of suspicion to a group of individuals who organized the underground production and sale of tobacco products. The capacity of the illegal workshop allowed for the manufacturing of up to 50,000 cigarettes per day.

The investigation established that both Ukrainian citizens and foreign nationals were involved in organizing the underground tobacco production. The illegal workshop was set up in non-residential premises within the Chernivtsi region, where an industrial cigarette production line was installed.

Production was carried out under strict secrecy. To mask significant electricity consumption and ensure the uninterrupted operation of the equipment, the organizers installed a diesel-powered generator. The underground workshop was supplied with raw tobacco, printing materials, filters, and other necessary components.

The production capacity enabled the manufacture of over 50,000 cigarettes per day, which were sold in Ukraine under the guise of products from various Ukrainian and European manufacturers.

During the searches, law enforcement officers seized a full-cycle cigarette production line, finished counterfeit products, tobacco-like raw materials, over 1 million suspected counterfeit foreign excise tax stamps, and materials for manufacturing and packaging tobacco products. The estimated value of the seized items exceeds UAH 15 million.

Six individuals have been served with notices of suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 2 of Art. 204, and Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 1 of Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacture of tobacco products, as well as illegal storage for the purpose of sale of illegally manufactured tobacco products, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).

Operational support is provided by the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police of Ukraine. Procedural oversight is conducted by prosecutors of the Office of the General Prosecutor.