Nine individuals to face trial over illegal tobacco business worth UAH 35.7 million

Conclusion of investigation and transfer of case to court

Detectives have completed the investigation of a criminal case involving nine individuals who organised the illegal production and sale of tobacco products. The indictment has already been sent to court. According to the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB), the criminals sold goods worth over 35.7 million hryvnia through internet channels alone.

The criminal network operated in the Ternopil and Odesa regions, while orders were received from buyers in all regions of Ukraine.

Organisation of the production process

A 29-year-old man was the initiator of the illegal scheme. He formed a group, assigning specific functions to the participants. Production began in the Ternopil region, where the suspects occupied 11 hectares of land for tobacco cultivation.

After the harvest, the leaves underwent stages of drying and grinding. The finished raw material was transported to Odesa, where it was packaged for further sale.

Sales channels and scale of sales

The main tool for sales was specially created online stores. Buyers received their orders through postal services. In parallel with online trading, illegal tobacco was sold at two Odesa markets — "Novyi" and "Kyivskyi".

According to BEB information, the amount of online sales exceeded 35.7 million hryvnia. The participants of the scheme laundered the funds obtained to make them legal.

Search results and seized property

To expose the illegal business, detectives from the BEB territorial administration in the Odesa region conducted 23 searches in two regions. During these operations, law enforcement officers seized:

• over 9.1 tonnes of tobacco;
• equipment for processing raw materials and manufacturing cigarettes;
• vehicles, cash, and documentation.

The total value of the seized property is over 13 million hryvnia.

Preventive measures and charges

For six members of the criminal group, the court chose a preventive measure in the form of detention with the possibility of bail. All nine suspects are charged with illegal operations involving excisable products. Six individuals are additionally charged with the laundering of property obtained by criminal means.

As is known, law enforcement officers had previously announced suspicions to seven participants of this network, which covered the entire cycle — from raw material cultivation to its processing and sale across the country.