Police of Odessa region liquidated underground tobacco shop with monthly income of up to UAH 12 million
The industrial capacity of the underground workshop allowed the production of up to 30 thousand packs of cigarettes per day.
A 46-year-old resident of Cherkassy and a 37-year-old Odessa resident are involved in the organization of “business”. They carefully approached the preparation for the arrangement of underground tobacco production.
To begin with, we chose a land plot in the Razdelnyansky district of the Odessa region and purchased special equipment for the arrangement of industrial facilities. In the future, a basement was excavated on this site, where equipment was installed, and a house was built on top.
In addition, the agents also took care of the conspiracy measures. The entrance to the illegal production was carried out through a disguised and specially equipped “hatch” in the sauna of the house. And he was under a bench for sitting.
For the supply of raw materials, printing, filters and other components, a hydraulic lift was used inside the house. In the same way, tobacco products were unloaded and ready for sale. In order to disguise the consumption of a significant amount of electricity, the defendants installed a diesel power station.
During the operational measures, the police established the location of the so-called transshipment sites, where components and raw materials were stored. They were located in settlements of several districts of the Odessa region.
According to the investigation, residents of nearby regions worked in the workshop using a shift method. Production capacity allowed to produce up to 30 thousand packs per day. We sold products under the guise of famous trademarks in wholesale batches throughout Ukraine. This “business” brought the organizers up to 12 million UAH of profit every month.
In order to stop illegal production, the police took appropriate measures, as a result of which they seized property worth UAH 40 million. Namely — industrial lines for the production of tobacco products and components for cigarettes, machines for packaging finished products, more than 270 thousand packs of counterfeit cigarettes, 8 tons of tobacco, packs with excise stamps of the Russian Federation and “rough” records.
Currently, the issue of declaring suspicion to the organizers and persons involved under Part 2 of Art is being resolved. 204 (Illegal manufacture, storage, sale or transportation for the purpose of sale of excisable goods) and part 3 of Art. 199 (storage, acquisition, transportation, shipment for use in the sale of goods of excise tax stamps or holographic protective elements) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The issue of the transfer of seized storage equipment at the facilities of the Ukrainian Association of Tobacco Manufacturers Ukrtyutyun is also discussed.
National Police of Ukraine
