Illegal vape production worth tens of millions of hryvnias uncovered in Ukraine

UA NEWS 13 April 2026 12:13

Law enforcement officials have uncovered a scheme involving the illegal manufacture and sale of e-cigarette liquids that has been operating in Ukraine since 2023.

This was reported by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.

According to him, the criminal group organized a full cycle of illegal distribution of nicotine-containing mixtures. They also sold liquids with flavorings—that is, flavors other than tobacco—which are banned in Ukraine.

The dealers sold the illegal products through an extensive distribution network, including physical retail locations and online stores belonging to the exposed network. More than 200 individuals were involved in running the illegal business. 

 
As part of the special operation, over 70 simultaneous searches were conducted in the city of Kyiv, as well as in the Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv regions. Investigative actions took place at the organizers’ residences, at production sites, and at retail locations for finished products.

 
The following items were seized:
 
approximately 43,500 flavorings;
 30,200 units of glycerin;
36,000 flavor and strength enhancers;
19,800 cartridges;
3,600 pod systems;
27 sets of equipment;
raw materials: 180 liters of propylene glycol, 660 liters of glycerin, and 205 liters of flavorings,
over $70,000, computer equipment, and rough notes regarding the suspects’ activities.

The total value of the seized property subject to forfeiture is approximately 30 million UAH. The illegal kiosks used to sell the products have already been dismantled.
 
As a reminder, detectives from the Economic Security Bureau in the Odesa region continue to investigate criminal cases regarding possible protection of illegal grain exports.

In March 2026, detectives from the Economic Security Bureau uncovered a large-scale underground cigarette production operation in Chernivtsi that was operating on an industrial scale.
Earlier, the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine reported that as part of efforts to bring the fuel market out of the shadows, the number of illegal gas stations in a number of regions has significantly decreased. According to the agency’s estimates, this has generated additional revenue for the state budget and positively impacted the transparency of the fuel market.

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