Illegal workshop producing 50,000 packs of cigarettes a day found near Uman

Investigators established that a group of seven citizens organised the illegal production of tobacco products in Cherkasy region. The workshop was located in a warehouse facility near the city of Uman. According to law enforcement data, the enterprise operated without the necessary permits and specialised in manufacturing products under the brand names of well-known Ukrainian and European brands.

Capacity and material evidence

According to case materials, the illegal production facility was equipped with a full production line capable of releasing up to 50,000 packs of cigarettes daily. The organisers supplied the site with the necessary raw materials and packaging materials for a continuous process.

In March, officers from the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police, together with detectives from the Bureau of Economic Security, conducted search operations as part of a criminal case. As a result of these actions, property with a total value exceeding 30 million hryvnias was seized.

Among the confiscated property, the following was found:

• full-cycle production equipment;
• 295,745 packs of cigarettes of various brands;
• 95 bags of fermented tobacco;
• 268 boxes of packaging materials;
• 138 rolls of cigarette paper;
• over 36,000 US dollars in cash;
• a cargo vehicle, mobile phones, and rough notes that may contain information about the criminal group's activities.

Criminal liability of participants

The police notified all seven suspects of the case. Their actions were qualified under Part 2 of Article 28 and Parts 1 and 2 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This provides for the illegal manufacture, storage, and sale of excisable goods, in particular tobacco products, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy.

Currently, investigators are deciding on the selection of preventive measures for the suspects. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement officers are clarifying all the circumstances of the underground production's operation.