Within the framework of counteracting the shadow economy, SBU officers exposed a large-scale scheme of illegal sale of alcohol with counterfeit excise marks, which operated in three regions of the country.

Allegedly, several manufactures of alcoholic beverages from Vinnytsia and Kharkiv regions set up illegal production and sale of unaccounted alcohol. Dealers sold goods with counterfeit excise marks to small retailers across Ukraine. The wholesale batches of the goods were sold directly from the factories or shipped to the customers via one of the well-known delivery services.

As a result of joint special operations, law enforcement officers detained several trucks with bottled counterfeit products on its way to customers in Donetsk, Vinnytsia and Kharkiv regions. Thus, 25,000 bottles of counterfeit alcohol worth almost UAH 1,500,000 (USD 54,000) were found in the suspect’s vehicle in Kharkiv region.

The law enforcement seized 5,000 liters of counterfeit alcohol in the vehicle of residents of Mohyliv-Podilskyi who acted in the same way. The estimated cost of the uncovered goods is UAH 2,000,000 (USD 70,000).

A truck with unaccounted alcohol was also stopped in the JFO area. In the course of car inspection, 18 pallets of alcohol beverages with counterfeit excise marks were found, as well as a large number of bottled vodka and cognac. According to preliminary estimates, the value of the counterfeit alcoholic beverages is almost UAH 13,000,000 (USD 464,286).

The criminal proceeding was initiated under Art.199 and Art.204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

 Investigative actions are ongoing.