Underground factory producing 70,000 cigarette packs per day: ESBU notified nine group members of suspicion in the Lviv region

 In the Lviv region, nine members of a group who organized an underground cigarette production with a capacity of about 70,000 packs per day were notified of suspicion. They are charged with the illegal manufacturing and storage for the purpose of sale of tobacco products. The total value of the property seized during the searches exceeds 50 million UAH.

The illegal production was exposed by detectives of the Main Detectives Unit of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine together with operational employees of the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine.

The investigation established that a group of persons set up an illegal factory on one of the warehouse premises of the Lviv region. A industrial manufacturing line was installed there, and a full cycle of illegal manufacturing of filter cigarettes under the guise of products of well-known international brands was organized. The production capacity was about 70,000 cigarette packs per day.

To ensure the continuous operation of the factory, the premises were equipped with an industrial generator. Living quarters for the employees were set up directly on the territory of the production facility.

During the searches, detectives seized an industrial manufacturing line, 54 boxes of finished cigarettes, 36 boxes of tobacco raw materials, filter rods, cigarette paper, packaging film, foil, printing products with the branding of well-known international brands, and other equipment. The total value of the seized property exceeds 50 million UAH.

Currently, nine members of the group have been notified of suspicion of illegal manufacturing and storage for the purpose of the sale of tobacco products (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 204; Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 204 of the CC of Ukraine).

Procedural guidance is carried out by the Office of the General Prosecutor.

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.