Milan: two illegal cigarette factories seized, 17 arrests

Milan, 18 December (LaPresse) – Over 30 tonnes of raw and processed tobacco and approximately 3 tonnes of cigarettes, most of which were already packaged in packs bearing counterfeit trademarks of well-known brands in the sector, with a total estimated value of over €8 million, were seized by the Guardia di Finanza (Italian Financial Police). This was announced by the Provincial Command of Milan. The investigation led to the identification of two clandestine factories dedicated to the processing, packaging and storage of cigarettes in rural areas on the border between the provinces of Milan and Pavia. According to reports, 17 workers of Ukrainian and Moldovan nationality were identified, all of whom were arrested in flagrante delicto for the crimes of smuggling processed tobacco and counterfeiting. The well-camouflaged facilities were powered by generators so that the presence of machinery operating at full capacity would not be detectable from peaks in electricity consumption. In the innermost rooms, lit only by artificial light, makeshift accommodation had been set up for the personnel operating the equipment, who came from Eastern European countries.