Tobacco for hookahs for more than a million hryvnias: a resident of the Kiev region was informed of suspicion of illegal trade

A resident of the Kiev region has established a scheme for selling counterfeit tobacco for hookahs. During searches in storage areas, the goods were seized, and the man himself was declared suspicious. This is reported by the Bureau of economic security, writes UNN.

It is noted that tobacco products without excise stamps were sold through retail outlets in the Brovarsky district.

"Detectives of the Bureau conducted searches at the place of storage of products and seized excisable goods with an estimated value of more than UAH 1 million from illegal circulation.

Now the man has been informed of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacture, storage, sale or transportation for the purpose of selling excisable goods)," the BEB said in a statement.

The suspect faces a fine of up to 170 thousand UAH with confiscation and destruction of illegally manufactured products.

Optional

Director of the Kiev Research Institute of forensic examinations Alexander Ruvin in an exclusive interview UNN said that reducing counterfeiting of tobacco products is an increase in the profits of legal producers and tax revenues to the budget. At the same time, there should be a clear understanding that only irrefutable evidence from forensic experts makes it possible to bring malefactors who produce fakes to justice.

"It is the expert examination that is evidence in court, so this is a common task of both expert institutions and law enforcement agencies, all government departments involved. Of course, the processes are very complex, not all manufacturers are open to cooperation, and there are other difficulties. In Ukraine, there are major players – tobacco producers – these are large companies that are interested in ensuring that both the state and they themselves do not suffer losses from counterfeiting. After all, if there are fewer fakes, the manufacturer will sell more of its legal products, make a big profit and, accordingly, more taxes will go to the state budget," Ruvin said.

In turn , KNIISE experts notethat since the beginning of the full-scale Russian military invasion, the number of studies of tobacco products has increased significantly, and fakes of excise stamps, unfortunately, are performed very subtly and skillfully.