Security Service of Ukraine has revealed a contraband channel used to smuggle tobacco to Ukraine and the EU via Odesa Port.

According to the press centre of the Security Service, their officers revealed and suspended criminal activities carried out by a group of people who had been illegally smuggling tobacco to Ukraine and the EU countries though Odesa Commercial Sea Port. It was established that the smugglers we carrying out illegal transportation of cargoes from the customs zone of the Odesa Port providing forged documents to the customs service, and the correspondent offices of the port and customs terminal.

In June 2010 SSU officers detained a truck carrying two containers at the exit of the cargo terminal.

In the course of examination, the officers found discrepancy of the goods stated with the documents as to their availability and price. Instead of the declared cheap Christmas-tree decorations made in China, and electric bulbs made in Croatia, the containers were loaded with 1 million packs of cigarettes of well-known brands, their overall price equals to over UAH 18 million.

“Counterfeit goods had all signs of genuine cigarettes – documentary stamps, health warning and a Ukrainian company details where the cigarettes were claimed to have been produced. This could have caused significant loss to the state and Ukrainian makers” they stressed at the press centre.

The criminals intended to sell the cigarettes not only at Ukrainian domestic markets but transfer them to the markets of Western Europe and Great Britain.

The investigation is underway.