Law enforcement officers uncovered an underground tobacco production operation worth over 25 million hryvnias

The prosecutor's office and investigators uncovered a large-scale underground tobacco production operation operating in the Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, and Odesa regions. According to the investigation, the group of individuals had established a full cycle of illegal production, from growing and harvesting plants to fermentation, grinding, and sale of the product. They used the details of a controlled enterprise to legalise their activities. Source: General Prosecutor Office

The finished products were sold on an industrial scale throughout the country. During searches of the manufacturing, storage and sales sites, approximately 45 tonnes of tobacco, over 75 tonnes of harvested plants, processing equipment and 252,000 hryvnia in cash were seized. Separately, nearly seventy hectares of land with unharvested crops were discovered.

The estimated value of the seized items exceeds twenty-five million hryvnias. Expert examinations are currently being appointed and the issue of seizure of property is being decided. The pre-trial investigation is continuing under articles on the illegal manufacture of tobacco products and the legalisation of proceeds obtained by criminal means.

As previously reported by The Public, the central office of the BEB did not seize any counterfeit cigarettes or alcohol for three months.