Riga authorities halt one of Latvia’s largest illegal cigarette factories

Latvian authorities have uncovered and halted one of the country’s largest illegal cigarette factories in Riga, LSM reported, citing the Tax and Customs Police.

Police spokeswoman Evita Teice-Mamaja said the facility’s exact production capacity could not yet be disclosed because the investigation was still under way. However, the amount of tobacco found there was greater than that discovered near Grobiņa at the end of June.

When officers began inspecting the premises, cigarette-making equipment was operating and people inside tried to flee, ignoring lawful orders from the Tax and Customs Police and State Police. Eighteen illegally employed people were detained, most of them Ukrainian and Moldovan nationals. All were remanded in custody.

Authorities found large quantities of tobacco, illegally produced tobacco products, cigarettes, filters, packaging and materials prepared for cigarette production. Sleeping quarters had also been arranged for the workers.

The factory was equipped with a full production cycle, including tobacco shredding, drying and cutting equipment, a device for checking the quality of cut tobacco, and two cigarette production lines for slim and standard cigarettes. Equipment for packing cigarette packets was also found.