In Chernivtsi, a large-scale underground cigarette factory with a monthly income of a billion was exposed
Kyiv • UNN
The BEB liquidated the largest tobacco production in Chernivtsi with an income of UAH 1 billion. Two production lines and products worth UAH 200 million were seized, and 40 people were detained.
In the Chernivtsi region, law enforcement officers uncovered a large-scale illegal cigarette production facility that operated on an industrial scale and brought organizers over a billion hryvnias monthly. This was reported on Monday by the Bureau of Economic Security, writes UNN.
Details
According to the investigation, the organized group included about 40 people. They established a full cycle of manufacturing filtered cigarettes under the guise of products from well-known international brands.
The underground factory was set up in a warehouse in Chernivtsi. Industrial equipment, generators for autonomous operation, and living quarters for workers were installed there, allowing for continuous production.
The capacity of two production lines allowed for the production of about 10,000 cigarettes per minute - up to 720,000 packs daily.
"The monthly illegal income exceeded UAH 1 billion. This is the largest underground cigarette production facility uncovered by the BEB since its inception," the agency noted.
During the searches, detectives seized two full production lines, 750,000 packs of finished products, 149 boxes of tobacco, as well as a significant amount of raw materials and packaging materials.
The estimated value of the seized equipment, products, and raw materials exceeds UAH 200 million.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under the article on illegal production of excisable goods.