Video: Polish Authorities Dismantle Illicit Factory

The Polish authorities have dismantled an organized crime group involved in the production of illegal cigarettes, reports Europol.

On July 27, more than 100 officers from Poland’s border guard searched locations across the province of Warsaw. An illicit factory was dismantled, and 16 suspects were charged for their involvement in this illegal tobacco activity. The leader of the criminal organization features among those arrested.

More than 1.6 million counterfeit cigarettes were seized on site by the Polish authorities alongside 13 tons of tobacco that could have been used to produce a further 13 million cigarettes. The tax loss for the Polish treasury is estimated at about €3.8 million ($4.51 million).  

The factory’s estimated production capacity was approximately 1 million cigarettes per day. The counterfeit cigarettes were destined predominantly for the U.K. and Germany, where they would have had a value of up to €9.7 million.