Within the counteraction to smuggling of excisable goods, the SBU blocked the manufacture and supply of dangerous counterfeit alcohol to a retail network in Donetsk region.

The SBU operatives established that the entrepreneur from Kramatorsk city purchased alcohol of low-quality at one of the distilleries of Kharkiv region. He sold counterfeit alcohol via retail network in Donetsk region.

During the searches in offender’s bulk storage depot, in trucks and residence, the SBU seized financial reports, over 35,000 liters of alcohol in bottles of different capacity and tetra packages. The goods were unmarked or with fake excise stamps totaling over UAH 6 million (USD 22,220).

According to preliminary estimates, the sum of state budget losses amounts to almost UAH 2 million (USD 74,100) due to failure to make mandatory payments.

The investigation is ongoing within a criminal proceeding initiated for unlawful manufacturing, storage, sale or transportation for selling purposes of excisable goods.

All the people involved in sale of counterfeit goods are now being identified.

The operation was conducted jointly with the Main Department of the State Fiscal Service in Donetsk region under the legal supervision of regional Prosecutor’s Office.