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Tag: illicit

  • Ukraine Conducts 70 Raids, Busts Illegal Vape Liquid Operation

    Ukraine Conducts 70 Raids, Busts Illegal Vape Liquid Operation

    The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine have dismantled a large-scale illegal production and distribution network for e-cigarette liquids operating since 2023, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said. Authorities allege the group manufactured and sold nicotine mixtures, including non-tobacco flavors banned in Ukraine, through storefronts and online channels with more than 200 people involved.

    Over 70 simultaneous searches across Kyiv and five regions seized flavorings, base liquids, cartridges, pod systems, production equipment, $70,000 in cash, and records, with total assets valued at about UAH 30 million ($690,000). Illegal kiosks linked to the network were dismantled, assets are to be frozen, and further charges are being prepared as investigators map the full network.

  • Major Illegal Cigarette Factory Busted in Bulgaria

    Major Illegal Cigarette Factory Busted in Bulgaria

    Bulgarian authorities dismantled one of the country’s largest illegal cigarette factories in a joint operation by the General Directorate Border Police and the District Prosecutor’s Office – Kyustendil, detaining two men on charges linked to large-scale illicit tobacco production. The April 2 raid at a warehouse in Dupnitsa uncovered over 11 tons of shredded tobacco and 651 master boxes of cigarettes destined for Central and Western Europe. Another 180 master boxes and a truck tied to the network were found in Krivina.

    Officials said the site housed advanced production and packaging lines, living quarters, and surveillance systems, operating in strict secrecy. Prosecutors will seek pretrial detention as investigations continue to identify other members of the network.

  • Canadian Customs Seizes $3.2M Illicit Vapes at U.S. Border

    Canadian Customs Seizes $3.2M Illicit Vapes at U.S. Border

    The Canada Border Services Agency said officers at the Point Edward port of entry in Sarnia, Ontario, seized over CAD 4.5 million ($3.2 million) in illegal tobacco and nicotine vapes over a seven-day period. The contraband was reportedly coming across from Port Huron, Michigan, in the United States. The CBSA emphasized that the seizures are part of ongoing measures to prevent illicit products from entering Canada and combat criminal networks, though no additional details were provided.

  • Bulgarians Seize 6M Cigarettes in Produce Truck

    Bulgarians Seize 6M Cigarettes in Produce Truck

    Bulgarian customs authorities seized more than 6.1 million smuggled cigarettes hidden in a refrigerated truck carrying citrus and vegetables from Greece to Poland. The shipment, consisting of three popular brands without Bulgarian excise stamps, had a market value of about €1.15 million, with unpaid excise duties totaling €691,560. The Ukrainian driver was arrested, and an investigation is ongoing.

  • Malaysian Illicit Cigarette Rate Still Above 54%

    Malaysian Illicit Cigarette Rate Still Above 54%

    The Confederation of Malaysian Tobacco Manufacturers (CMTM) said the latest Illicit Cigarettes Study conducted by NielsenIQ shows illicit cigarette incidence in Malaysia remains high at 54.4% in 2025, a marginal 0.6%-point decline from 2024. CMTM credited enforcement agencies, including the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), for intensified border controls and supply chain disruption efforts.

    However, the association flagged rising concern over cigarettes bearing fake tax stamps (FTS), with national incidence increasing by 1.7 percentage points year-on-year and wider penetration reported in Johor, Penang, Melaka, Terengganu and Kelantan. The group urged stronger action to remove such products from the market and reaffirmed its commitment to working with authorities to protect regulatory integrity as illicit trade tactics evolve.

  • Indian Police Seize 2,700 kg of Illicit Tobacco Products

    Indian Police Seize 2,700 kg of Illicit Tobacco Products

    Police in India seized more than 2,700kg of banned tobacco products in Thirumudivakkam today (Feb. 18) following a tip-off about a Karnataka-registered truck allegedly transporting the contraband for local distribution. Officers traced the vehicle to the Thirumudivakkam industrial estate, where they found it parked alongside a smaller truck; suspects fled the scene as police approached. A search of the vehicles uncovered the banned tobacco products bundled and ready for transport. A case has been registered, and efforts are under way to identify and apprehend those involved in the smuggling operation.

  • W. Australia Focused on ‘Scourge’ Behind Illicit Tobacco

    W. Australia Focused on ‘Scourge’ Behind Illicit Tobacco

    The Government of Western Australia announced sweeping reforms to the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 aimed at crushing the illicit tobacco and vape trade, following the largest seizure of illegal products in state history. Under the proposed changes, individuals caught possessing large commercial quantities of illicit tobacco or vaping products could face fines of up to A$4.2 million ($3 million) and 15 years’ imprisonment, while companies could be fined up to A$21 million ($14.9 million) — the toughest penalties in Australia. The laws, to be introduced to Parliament on Feb. 17, would also allow store closures of up to 90 days during investigations. Premier Roger Cook described the illegal trade as a “scourge on our society,” blaming organized crime for fueling violence including firebombings and shootings targeting smoke shops across Perth.

    Police Minister Reece Whitby said authorities have seized 1.26 million illicit cigarettes, 467 kg of tobacco, nearly 17,000 illegal vapes and A$770,000 ($547,000) in cash in the last year, with a further A$1.7 million ($1.2 million) in parcels intercepted across WA and Victoria. Health Minister Meredith Hammat said WA Health would work alongside police to swiftly shut down non-compliant retailers, with a second tranche of legislation later this year expected to address further measures, including potential eviction powers for landlords linked to illicit trade activity.

  • Cigarette Smuggling Dominating Hong Kong Customs

    Cigarette Smuggling Dominating Hong Kong Customs

    Cigarette trafficking made up roughly three-quarters of all smuggling investigations handled by Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department in 2025, as overall smuggling cases climbed 24% year over year to more than 38,000, the department reported. Authorities recorded over 29,000 cigarette-related cases, up 36%, leading to more than 28,000 arrests, while total seizures remained steady at about 600 million sticks.

    Officials said organized networks increasingly used cross-border travelers — including attempts to conceal cigarettes in clothing, wheelchairs, and strollers — with a 41% rise in passengers exceeding the city’s duty-free limit of 19 cigarettes. Meanwhile, illicit drug cases declined 29% to 961, although total drug seizures increased 19% to 7.5 tons, and the estimated value of all seized smuggled goods reached HK$4.2 billion ($546 million).

  • NSW Increasing Tobacco-Inspector Staff by 62%

    NSW Increasing Tobacco-Inspector Staff by 62%

    New South Wales (Australia) will recruit 30 additional full-time tobacco inspectors to strengthen the state’s Centre for Regulation & Enforcement, expanding the statewide compliance team to 78 staff as authorities intensify efforts against illicit tobacco and vaping products. Since tougher enforcement laws took effect in November 2025, NSW Health and police have closed 66 retailers, including five Sydney Inner West tobacconists last week, while January inspections seized approximately 560,000 cigarettes, 98 kilograms of illicit tobacco, and more than 6,000 illegal vaping products valued at about A$830,000 ($589,000). The government is advancing further legislative measures, including landlord liability provisions and penalties exceeding A$1.5 million ($1.1 million) and seven years’ imprisonment for commercial-scale illicit tobacco offences, as officials warn high federal excise taxes continue to drive demand for illegal products and fuel evolving retail tactics such as QR code and social media-based sales.

  • Aussies Stop $700M in Illegal Nicotine Products at Border in Q2

    Aussies Stop $700M in Illegal Nicotine Products at Border in Q2

    Australian authorities intercepted illicit tobacco and vaping products representing an estimated AUD 1 billion ($700 million) in evaded duties during the second quarter of the 2025–26 financial year, according to the Australian Border Force (ABF). The agency seized more than 467 tons of illegal cigarettes and loose-leaf tobacco through intensified offshore and domestic enforcement operations, alongside growing vape-related detections. Major seizures included 14.4 million cigarettes from China, 2.5 tons of molasses tobacco concealed in cargo, 52,800 vapes hidden in a shipment from Kuala Lumpur, and 5.4 million cigarettes in a falsely declared container from Poland.