Counterfeit products worth UAH 15 million poisoned people - Kyiv exposes illegal tobacco sales network

In the capital of Ukraine, an organized criminal group that set up a scheme to sell counterfeit e-cigarettes and hookah tobacco was exposed.  During the investigation, cases of poisoning by these products were recorded. This was reported by the Bureau of Economic Security, according to UNN.

It is noted that the organizers involved more than 30 proxies in the illegal activity, who packed, transported, took orders and sold counterfeit tobacco products for a monetary reward. They also provided their own  card accounts for payments to customers.

The group carefully concealed their illegal activities: they used pre-arranged phrases and certain algorithms of actions during communication.

A sole proprietor holding a retail license and renting premises owned by a lawyer was used to sell illegally manufactured excisable goods.

In addition, there have been cases of poisoning from these products.

"The BES detectives conducted searches in six retail stores, vehicles, three warehouses and offices, as well as at the organizers' residences. As a result of the searches, more than 20 thousand packages of counterfeit tobacco products worth over UAH 15 million were seized. Computer equipment, mobile phones and vehicles were also seized," the Bureau of Economic Security said in a statement.

The BES added that the pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

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Oleksandr Ruvin, Director of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, in an exclusive interview with UNN , saidthat the state and legal producers should be interested in reducing the number of counterfeit tobacco products. At the same time, there should be a clear understanding that only indisputable evidence from forensic experts makes it possible to bring offenders to justice. Thus, the fight against the illicit tobacco market is a joint and complex task.

"It is the expertise that is evidence in court, so this is a joint task for both expert institutions and law enforcement agencies, all government agencies involved. Of course, the processes are very complicated, not all manufacturers are open to cooperation, and there are other difficulties. There are major players in Ukraine - tobacco manufacturers are large companies that are interested in ensuring that both the state and themselves do not suffer losses from counterfeiting. After all, if there are fewer counterfeits, the manufacturer will sell more of its legal products, make more profit, and, accordingly, more taxes will go to the state budget. They are ready to provide all samples, open data, and cooperate in every way. However, there are cases where the opposite is true, and it is logical to assume that in those cases there are a lot of risks, we are talking about very large-scale losses for the state, which are measured in huge amounts," Ruvin said.