VIDEO: Cigarettes Produced in White Boxes Without Labeling, Arrests Made - SCS

The Investigative and Operational Intelligence Department of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) has been continuously implementing measures throughout 2023 to reveal cases of the sale of cigarettes without excise stamps.

As a result of joint measures taken by the Investigative and Operational Intelligence Department and other units of the SRC, approximately 1.5 million boxes of cigarettes without excise stamps have been identified and seized, illegally exported by air and land from the Republic of Armenia during 2023. Criminal proceedings have been initiated in the Main Department for the Fight Against Economic Crimes and Smuggling of the Investigative Committee concerning these cases, with searches conducted in numerous significant locations based on court decisions.

Simultaneously, substantial procedural and evidential actions undertaken by employees of the Investigative Committee and the SRC's Investigative and Operational Intelligence Department led to the acquisition of factual data on the illicit production of cigarettes without excise stamps. Following this, the prosecuting authority submitted a motion to the court to apply preventive measures against the owner and the manager of the company that produced the tobacco, which was granted.

In addition, operational information was received indicating that cigarette manufacturers had begun selling cigarettes in white boxes without labeling. In response to this information, the Investigative and Operational Intelligence and Internal Security Departments of the SRC planned, implemented, and carried out a series of complex operational-investigative measures, including undercover purchases. These undercover purchases resulted in evidence of the sale of around 5,170 boxes of unmarked cigarettes without any identification data. Additionally, approximately 38,870 boxes of unmarked and unidentified cigarettes were found from the sellers.

Alongside the undercover purchases, operational-investigative measures were conducted at the production facilities and storage areas of companies engaged in cigarette manufacturing, where unmarked and non-identified cigarettes and traces of their production were discovered.

Considering that the effective operational-investigative measures have confirmed that these companies were engaged in the production and sale of unmarked, non-identified cigarettes without excise stamps, preliminary calculations of damages caused to the state have been made. Based on these, criminal proceedings have been initiated in the Main Department for the Fight Against Economic Crimes and Smuggling.

Currently, operational-investigative measures and procedural actions continue to identify all individuals involved in this criminal chain and to legally evaluate their actions.

The State Revenue Committee urges cigarette manufacturers and sellers not to produce or sell cigarettes without excise stamps, without control signs, as well as unmarked, non-identified cigarettes. The SRC will continue to use all its tools to uncover all such adverse phenomena.