An illegal tobacco production operation was uncovered in the Ternopil region, and more than 12 metric tons of raw materials were seized
In the Ternopil region, authorities uncovered underground workshops where tobacco was processed on an industrial scale and supplied to wholesale buyers in various regions of Ukraine. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted 59 searches in six regions and seized more than 12 metric tons of tobacco. Under the procedural supervision of prosecutors from the Ternopil Regional Prosecutor’s Office, four individuals were notified of their status as suspects in the illegal trafficking of excise goods.
According to the investigation, the suspects had established a complete cycle of illegal production—from growing tobacco to its industrial processing, storage, and distribution. The clandestine workshops operated in the Chortkiv district, where special equipment was used to dry and grind the raw material.
On October 26, 2026, law enforcement officers conducted 59 searches in six regions of Ukraine. More than 12 metric tons of tobacco products and raw materials, 440,000 hryvnias in cash, processing equipment, cell phones, and rough sales records were seized.
Four individuals have been charged with the illegal storage for the purpose of sale and the sale of illegally manufactured excise goods (Part 1 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). All suspects were served with motions to apply preventive measures in the form of bail.
The pretrial investigation is being conducted by Ternopil region police investigators with operational support from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police’s Strategic Investigations Units.
A network involved in the illegal sale of tobacco worth over 35 million hryvnias was uncovered in the Ternopil and Odesa regions.
Earlier, in the Chernivtsi region, law enforcement agencies uncovered preparations for the illegal smuggling of counterfeit tobacco products across the state border.
As a reminder, the level of illegal trade in tobacco products in Ukraine in February 2026 showed a downward trend, standing at 17.6% compared to 17.8% in October of last year.
