Illegal Cigarette Manufacturing Busted in Kara-Suu District
Illegal Cigarette Production Workshop Discovered in Kara-Suu District
An illegal cigarette production workshop has been uncovered in the Kara-Suu district, as reported by the press center of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS).
The workshop, which was constructed in 2022, has been operating illegally. The SCNS revealed that equipment for the production of tobacco products, with a value of over $470,000, was brought in from the UAE. Additionally, raw materials such as tobacco, filters, and cigarette paper, along with other components for cigarettes, were imported from abroad. The tobacco products, which did not have excise stamps, were sold within Kyrgyzstan and smuggled to neighboring republics.
During a search, a large quantity of materials for manufacturing cigarettes were seized, including tobacco, cigarette paper, labels, foil, tape, filters, and 97 boxes of cigarettes – totaling more than 48,500 packs of Marlboro, Platinum, Asia, Blue Sky, and WT, all without excise stamps. Furthermore, a foreign citizen has been detained and placed in the pre-trial detention center of the SCNS. Operational and investigative measures are currently underway to identify other individuals involved in the illegal production.
This discovery serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges of illegal production and smuggling within Kyrgyzstan and its neighboring regions. The SCNS continues to work diligently to combat such activities and ensure the safety and security of the country.
