1 418 060 pieces of cigarettes, about 3200 kg chopped tobacco, a large amount of production components and raw materials were seized from an uncovered illegal factory in Poland. Damages worth approximately 8 500 000 Euros were avoided.
The Directorate General Combating Organised Crime is the main partner in a long and accurate investigation resulting in revealing an organised criminal group illegally producing and distributing cigarettes without excise labels on the territory of Poland. The investigation activities conducted by officers from the Directorate General Combating Organised Crime together with the Polish Border Police and in coordination with Europol continued for three months. In the course of the operation an illegal factory for production of cigarettes in the town of Mislovitse, near Kotovitse, Poland was uncovered. Five persons were arrested on the spot in the process of production – 4 Polish citizens and one Romanian citizen. During the investigation activities two professional production lines for “PRINCE”, “MG” и „WEST” cigarettes were found. According to experts, only one of the production lines can produce 1 million pieces of cigarettes for 8 hours. 1 418 060 pieces of cigarettes from all three brands, about 3200 kg chopped tobacco, a large amount of production components and raw materials, blank packing boxes and cigarette boxes were seized. According to the available information, the finished products were intended for Great Britain and Norway. The avoided damages are estimated to be 850 000 euros. Work on the case within the joint investigation is ongoing. The cigarettes produced in the illegal factory are of questionable quality, are not control susceptible and constitute a risk for the health of their consumers. The illegal production causes significant damage both to national budgets and official cigarette brand producers. Europol and the Border Police of the Republic of Poland highly appreciate their partnership with the General Directorate Combating Organised Crime and the provided correct, adequate and timely information about the organised illegal production of cigarettes without excise labels.
