Record Number of Illegal Factories Raided in Belgium

Belgian authorities on Oct. 21 dismantled the 11th illegal cigarette factory since the start of 2024, reports The Brussels Times, citing an announcement by the Ministry of Finance. Nineteen suspects from Ukraine, Romania and Lithuania were taken into custody for questioning.

Police and customs seized around 11 tons of tobacco and 5.6 million Rothmans and Marlboro Touch cigarettes. If sold legally, the products would have yielded the state €6.2 million in tax receipts.

While this marks a new record number of illicit manufacturers uncovered within a year, it does not necessarily reflect an increase in criminal activity, according to Ministry of Finance spokesperson Florence Angelici. “We know what we catch,” he was quoted as saying.

However, Angelici acknowledged that there has been a general increase in demand for cheap illegal cigarettes, due in part to the rising prices of tobacco products.

Around 13 percent of illicit cigarettes in the EU were consumed in Belgium last year, according to a report commissioned by Philip Morris International. Angelici highlighted that many of the cigarettes produced in the country are not intended for domestic sales, but tend to be smuggled to countries to high-price markets such as the U.K. and France.

Belgium’s proximity to leading illegal cigarette markets, as well as its ports and large road networks, make it “very interesting” destination for those involved not only in the production but also I  tbe smuggling of illicit products, said Angelici.

According to him, the illicit cigarette trade is a well-organized criminal activity. “You will have people specialized in installing machines; then those who will bring trucks. It’s a logistic network,” he said.

Tackling the issue on a European or global scale can be difficult due to the different national legislations.

 Almost 205 million cigarettes were seized in Belgium in 2024. This represents around €96 million in evaded tax, according to the Ministry of Finance.