Another Multistate EU Cigarette Trafficking Scheme Uncovered

Enforcement authorities in Europe have taken down a criminal group operating an intricate cigarette trafficking scheme across several EU countries.

The operation linked a Polish group active in cigarette trafficking, a counterfeit cigarette factory in France, and another international criminal group. The group was discovered after it was caught importing large quantities of cut tobacco into the EU – concealed as waste tobacco – without notifying customs authorities.

After entering the EU, the tobacco was transported to customs warehouses in Belgium, Spain and Italy, from where it was taken to Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands to be produced and sold as cigarettes.

The authorities soon discovered that the cigarette production plants scattered across Europe were connected, as investigations revealed that the same criminal organisation was responsible for setting up these factories.

The group ran a sophisticated operation through multiple entities. One in Bulgaria was responsible for transporting non- tobacco materials such as filters, papers and adhesives to Greece and Italy, while another in Poland specialised in the logistics and transport of the tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes.