An investigation is underway in the UK into possible links to Ukraine's black market for tobacco

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on Ukraine and the UK to take more active measures to combat potential schemes involving the production and sale of illegal cigarettes. His statement came after the publication of an investigation by *The Mail on Sunday*, which alleges that British companies may have been involved in financing a Ukrainian tobacco manufacturer.

According to the journalists, two companies registered in the UK at the same address in Watford are the majority shareholders of a Ukrainian factory that law enforcement agencies are investigating as part of a criminal proceeding.

The article alleges that a scheme for the production and distribution of counterfeit cigarettes in Ukraine and European Union countries may have operated through offshore structures. The authors of the investigation note that due to possible tax evasion, state budgets may be losing approximately 180 million pounds sterling annually. The Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine confirmed to journalists that the criminal investigation into this case remains open. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

The publication also cites court documents from 2024. In those documents, investigators alleged that Marshall could have used its valid license to mass-produce tobacco products with counterfeit excise stamps and subsequently smuggle them into European Union countries. Boris Johnson himself called the situation “an absolute scandal” and emphasized that the losses resulting from such schemes are particularly dangerous during wartime. “At a time when this heroic country needs every penny of tax revenue to fight Putin’s army, we must put an end to such operations and hold those responsible to account,” Johnson said in a comment to *The Mail on Sunday*.

Yaroslav Zheleznyak, deputy chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy, also expressed his position. “Ukraine and the United Kingdom must act now to stop what appears to be industrial-scale tax evasion, which is depriving us of the millions needed to support our troops on the front lines,” he said.

The article also cites data from the analytics firm Kantar, according to which approximately one in five packs of cigarettes sold in Ukraine is illegal. In addition, analysts estimate that products from the manufacturer Marshall Finest Tobacco accounted for about 37% of the entire black market for tobacco products in 2025. Journalists also drew attention to the company’s ownership structure. According to the Ukrainian registry of legal entities, the factory’s shareholders include two British companies, whose ultimate owner is listed as a company based in Belize. Another shareholder is registered in the Seychelles.

Despite the criminal investigation, which has been ongoing for more than two years, the company continues to operate. As The Mail on Sunday notes, the company attributes this to the fact that it holds a valid Ukrainian license. At the same time, Igor Bratchenko, director of Marshall Finest Tobacco, categorically rejected all allegations. He stated that the company has no connection to the illegal production, smuggling, or distribution of counterfeit tobacco products.

According to him, the company operates in accordance with Ukrainian law, pays taxes, and cooperates with law enforcement agencies when violations are detected in the tobacco market. At this time, there are no official findings in the criminal investigation. The investigation is ongoing, and the final legal assessment of the actions of all possible individuals involved is to be made by law enforcement agencies and the court. The Daily Mail reports on this.

At the “Yagodin” border crossing, border guards discovered a shipment of cigarettes that someone had attempted to smuggle into Poland. The tobacco products were hidden under the ceiling paneling of the truck’s cab, but the hiding place was discovered during an inspection.