After the high-profile searches, the shadow market for cigarettes was divided – media

After a high-profile investigation by the Bureau of Economic Security this spring, the volume of the shadow market for tobacco products dropped from 25.7 to 14.6%. The publication reported this on Wednesday, November 20, citing data from the research company Kantar Ukraine.

“At the same time, in October, revenues due to RPO in the tobacco industry increased by UAH 3 billion compared to January,” the authors of the publication added.

Let’s recall that in May 2024 it was reported that the BEB was conducting 24 searches simultaneously on cigarette manufacturers. As a result of the searches, about 7.8 million packs of cigarettes, 300 tons of tobacco and 16 lines for the production of tobacco products with an estimated value of one billion Hryvnias were seized. Five of the seized lines belong to businesses that have a license to produce tobacco products, but are also involved in “clandestine” production. Three prominent cigarette manufacturers were stripped of their licenses.

According to the UNN, since the beginning of the year, the BEB has opened 309 criminal proceedings on the illegal trafficking of tobacco products, 231 of which were sent to court, and 137 were sentenced.

“At the same time, in accordance with the adopted law On state regulation of the production and circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcohol distillates, bioethanol, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, raw tobacco, liquids used in electronic cigarettes, and gasolineThe State Tax Service has received full control over cigarette manufacturers,” the publication wrote and added that, starting October 1, tax officials already have round-the-clock access to the facilities of production and CCTV cameras that must be installed in them, and control the registration of factory equipment and the processes of receiving and processing tobacco, its storage, transportation, as well as the use of excise stamps and tax payments .

“So the release of countless cigarettes becomes impossible without the” help” of tax officials, as happened with vodka factories, where, despite the establishment of tax posts, there are already recorded cases of the release of alcohol according to the so-called ” Form 2″ – without accounting and for cash.” , – said the UNN.

As reported, one of the cigarette production lines was seized in early November. According to the BEB, the shadow production of cigarettes was organized in a well-known tobacco factory in Kyiv.