"Vynnykivka Tobacco Factory Appeals to Hetmantsev over BES Searches

"Vynnykivska Tobacco Factory turned to Danylo Hetmantsev because of the BES searches.

"Dear Daniel Alexandrovich

We would like to take this opportunity to express our respect and support to you in the fight against the shadow tobacco market and, having read your publication on the investigation of all tobacco manufacturers in Ukraine and the announcement of the results of such investigations, we would like to inform you of the following.

Yes, indeed, since yesterday, the BES has been conducting a search at Vynnykivska Tobacco Factory LLC to find counterfeit excise tax stamps, unmarked or unaccounted for tobacco products, as well as equipment used to manufacture illegal tobacco products. We would like to add that this is the second time this year.

During such investigative actions, including their continuation today, Vynnykivska Tobacco Factory LLC provides maximum assistance in their conduct, provides access to all of its territory, warehouses and production facilities without exception.

We would also like to inform you that there are no illegally manufactured tobacco products, counterfeit excise stamps or illegal equipment for their production at Vynnyky Tobacco Factory LLC, as evidenced by the searches conducted by the BES yesterday and continued today.

All products, equipment and excise stamps were thoroughly checked by the BES investigators and continue to be checked today, they were provided with all registers and extracts on the objects of the search provided for by the current legislation of Ukraine, all equipment on the searched territory, without exception, was entered and registered in the Unified State Register of Equipment for the Industrial Production of Cigarettes and Cigarettes, which is recorded and maintained electronically by the State Tax Service of Ukraine, all this equipment was thoroughly checked and confirmed that it was not used.

Additionally, we would like to note that our company produces tobacco products both for sale in Ukraine and for export, which is confirmed by the relevant contracts, which are also provided to the BES, which is why we have products marked with Ukrainian excise stamps and products marked for export in accordance with the requirements of foreign trade contracts in our warehouses.

In addition, our products are exported to such countries as Turkey, Cyprus, the UAE, Iraq, Georgia, Canada, Slovakia, Moldova, and Jordan, as evidenced by the export of more than 116.5 million cigarettes outside Ukraine in 2023 alone.

Such products have been the subject of repeated inspections by the State Tax Service, the materials and results of which were also provided to the BES. In addition, it should be emphasized that fully continuous factual inspections of the State Tax Service of Ukraine at Vynnyky Tobacco Factory LLC have been ongoing since September 2023, as evidenced by the meeting of the BES and the State Tax Service in the warehouse on May 14, 2024.

We would also like to note that during the difficult military year of 2023, Vynnykivska Tobacco Factory LLC paid more than UAH 7 billion to the budget of Ukraine, and we are committed to increasing this figure and hope to reduce the frantic and sometimes unreasonable pressure from fiscal and law enforcement agencies

Sincerely,

press service of the limited liability company

"VYNNYKY TOBACCO FACTORY"