Detectives of the Economic Security Bureau under the operational support of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine exposed illegal production of excisable goods in Dnipro region.

It was established that a group of people illegally manufactured hookah tobacco of well-known brands and sold it through a developed distribution network, using Internet sites and kiosks.

Detectives of the ESBU conducted 13 simultaneous searches in production, warehouse and sales outlets in Dnipro city and Dnipro region.

More than 200,000 pieces of hookah tobacco, disposable e-cigarettes with various e-liquids, hookah e-liquids with a total capacity of about 8 tonnes more than 14,000 pieces of e-cigarette filling liquids more than 250 barrels of hookah mixtures, equipment for the manufacture of excisable goods, raw materials for production, seals and documents, etc. were found and seized. The total value of the seized goods is over UAH 120 million.

The pre-trial investigation under Part 2 Art. 204, Part 1 Art. 199, Art. 229 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is ongoing. Necessary investigative actions are being taken to establish the full range of persons involved. Procedural guidance is provided by prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office.