Police dismantle industrial-scale illegal cigarette ring

Greek police have broken up a major criminal network accused of producing and smuggling illegal cigarettes on an industrial scale, following coordinated raids across Attica, Viotia and the island of Evia.

Authorities arrested 26 suspects, including two alleged ringleaders, while arrest warrants have been issued for another 13 people, among them a serving police officer. The group is believed to have operated since at least 2018.

Police uncovered three fully equipped cigarette manufacturing and packaging plants, along with six warehouses and a fleet of trucks. More than 14 million cigarettes, 20 tons of tobacco and €1.2 million in cash were seized, along with firearms and ammunition.

According to Kathimerini, the network allegedly exported large quantities of counterfeit cigarettes abroad, using fake packaging of well-known brands and conducting all transactions in cash to avoid detection. Police estimate tax losses of more than €7 million from the seized products alone.

The investigation was carried out in cooperation with Europol and law enforcement agencies in the UK, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania. Suspects face charges including participation in a criminal organization, money laundering, forgery and violations of firearms and customs laws.