Vape products worth 55 million UAH without excise stamps: illegal network exposed in Lviv region

 A detective of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Lviv region exposed a large-scale illegal retail network selling electronic cigarettes and e-liquids. The network consisted of over 70 shops across Ukraine, with more than 40 operating in the Lviv region. The estimated value of the seized products is 55 million UAH.

The investigation established that vape products without excise tax stamps were sold through specialized shops in Lviv, Vynnyky, Sokilnyky, and Novoyavorivsk. To conceal the actual organizers of the scheme, the commercial premises were officially rented by a company. Subsequently, these premises were transferred for use to controlled individual entrepreneurs, who directly carried out the product sales. In this way, the illegal distribution of counterfeit products was masked as the activity of legal businesses.

Detectives conducted 25 searches at shops and warehouses used by participants in the scheme. As a result, they seized over 160,000 containers of e-liquids for electronic cigarettes, 150,000 cartridges for pod systems, 3,500 electronic cigarettes, and over 3.6 million UAH in cash.

Laptops, mobile terminals, financial and economic documents, rough notes, and other materials that may confirm the illegal sale of products were also seized.

The estimated value of the seized products is 55 million UAH.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing based on the elements of criminal offenses stipulated by Part 1 of Art. 199 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacturing, storage, acquisition, transportation, sending, import into Ukraine, or sale of excise tax stamps) and Part 2 of Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacturing, storage, sale, or transportation of excise goods).

The issue of serving notices of suspicion to the organizers of the scheme will be decided after receiving the conclusions of the expert examinations.

Procedural guidance is provided by prosecutors of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor's Office. Operational support is provided by employees of the SSU Office in the Lviv region.

According to Art. Under Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime until their guilt is proven in a legally prescribed manner and established by a verdict of conviction.