Illegal cigarette production worth millions uncovered in Lviv and Kharkiv regions — underground workshops exposed
Law enforcement officers have shut down a network of underground tobacco production facilities in Lviv and Kharkiv regions. The illegal workshops were uncovered by prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General in cooperation with investigators from the National Police and the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine.
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, in 2026 a group of individuals organized illegal cigarette manufacturing for subsequent sale. Industrial technological lines, specialized equipment, tobacco raw materials, and packaging materials for finished products were used in production.
On July 25, law enforcement conducted simultaneous searches in two regions and stopped the activities of the underground workshops.
During investigative actions, about 150 bags of a substance resembling tobacco, equipment for cigarette production, finished tobacco products, and components for their manufacture were seized. In addition, law enforcement found about 50 thousand US dollars in cash.
The illegal technological lines were dismantled. Currently, law enforcement is identifying all persons involved in organizing the underground production and preparing further procedural decisions.
The issue of imposing arrest on the seized property is also being resolved.
As previously reported by the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper", a large-scale production and sale of counterfeit perfumes and cosmetics of global brands was uncovered in Poltava region. A group of individuals established illegal manufacturing, storage, and distribution of counterfeit cosmetic and perfume products of world-famous trademarks in Poltava region.
Subscribe to our Telegram channel t.me/sudua and to Google News SUD.UA, as well as to our VIBER page on Facebook and on Instagram to stay updated on the most important events.
