Co-founder of a legal tobacco company suspected of dangerous counterfeit goods worth millions of hryvnias
Kyiv • UNN
A large-scale production of dangerous alcohol and cigarettes worth 50 million hryvnias was uncovered in Poltava region. Budget losses due to unpaid taxes amounted to 16 million hryvnias.
250,000 packs of cigarettes and 6,000 liters of alcohol that did not meet standards were seized at an enterprise that its owner had turned into an illegal workshop. Its organizer and 10 accomplices received suspicions of organizing a large-scale scheme. This was reported by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, according to UNN.
The scheme was exposed last November in Poltava region - a large-scale underground production of tobacco products and alcohol.
Then, during searches, 38 tons of raw tobacco, 250,000 packs of cigarettes, over 6,000 liters of alcohol, 190,000 counterfeit excise stamps, and complete production lines were seized. The total value is about 50 million hryvnias.
During the pre-trial investigation, a number of examinations were conducted, and evidence was collected.
"Experts confirmed: the products were dangerous for use: tobacco contained foreign impurities and did not meet standards, alcohol - the requirements for vodka products. In fact, this is not just about counterfeiting, but about products that could harm people's health and even lives," Ruslan Kravchenko emphasized.
The organizer of the scheme turned out to be the co-founder of a legal tobacco company, who turned his own enterprise in Kremenchuk into an illegal workshop.
All products were manufactured under the guise of well-known brands. They were sold through trusted individuals: delivered by trucks for cash and sent by mail. According to the Prosecutor General, the budget losses from unpaid taxes are 16 million hryvnias.
And today, the result of this work: the organizer of the scheme and 10 accomplices received suspicions for illegal manufacturing and sale of excisable goods (Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)
The issue of choosing preventive measures is being resolved.
"I want to emphasize: this is not just about taxes and the shadow market. This is the deliberate production of poison under the guise of a legal product. When such things go on sale, almost everyone is at risk," Kravchenko emphasized.
According to UNN, this refers to LLC "Kremіn Tabako".