Russian Authorities Bust Organized Tobacco Counterfeiting Group

Nov.24.2022
Russian Authorities Bust Organized Tobacco Counterfeiting Group
Organized group selling untaxed tobacco products discovered in Chechnya, Russia; four suspects under investigation.

The source of the images from the scene where smugglers were caught is the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.


According to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, an organized group has been identified as participating in the supply and sale of counterfeit tobacco products in the Chuvash Republic during operations and investigations by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. These unmarked products were sold in electronic cigarette packaging through retail stores, unrelated to mandatory labeling of goods. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Chuvash Republic has initiated criminal proceedings against four defendants (including a Ukrainian and residents of the Kozlovsky and Batareivsky districts and Cheboksary), under Part 6 of Article 171.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, for the sale of mass quantities of unmarked goods and products, including over 120,000 packs of cigarettes worth more than 13 million rubles (approximately 1.53 million yuan). The investigation into the criminal case is currently ongoing.


Statement:


This article is compiled from third-party information and is intended for industry exchange and learning purposes only.


This article does not represent the views of 2FIRSTS, and 2FIRSTS cannot confirm the authenticity or accuracy of the content. The translation of this article is solely for industry-related exchange and research purposes.


Due to limitations in translation ability, the translated article may not fully reflect the original wording. Please refer to the original article for accuracy.


2FIRSTS maintains complete alignment with the Chinese government on any domestic, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, or foreign-related statements and positions.


The copyright for compiled information belongs to the original media and author. If there is any infringement, please contact us to request deletion.


This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

Special Report| Vuse Gains as U.S. Cracks Down on Illegal Vapes, But a $590 Million China Export Shadow Looms
Special Report| Vuse Gains as U.S. Cracks Down on Illegal Vapes, But a $590 Million China Export Shadow Looms
The payoff is here: BAT’s Vuse has seized a rare regulatory vacuum to reverse its U.S. slide, capitalizing on a crackdown that seemingly compressed the illicit market to 54%. But the victory is fragile. A record $590 million export shock in October signals the gray market is striking back—pitting a fleeting compliance dividend against a massive inventory wall.
BAT
Dec.09
AIRSCREAM Solidifies South African Leadership & Championing Truth in Vaping
AIRSCREAM Solidifies South African Leadership & Championing Truth in Vaping
As South Africa’s leading lifestyle vaping brand, AIRSCREAM is accelerating its regional growth strategy with the launch of its bold new initiative, “Trust ML, Not Puff.” The campaign calls for factual, millilitre (ml)-based transparency across the vaping industry, directly confronting misleading puff-count marketing practices and promoting clear, standardised information that reflects the true value and capacity of vaping products.
Nov.28
Product | VOZOL Mega 50K Launches in UK Channels: 18ml, 50,000-Puff Claim, Compliance Info Not Yet Public
Product | VOZOL Mega 50K Launches in UK Channels: 18ml, 50,000-Puff Claim, Compliance Info Not Yet Public
VOZOL's Vozol Mega 50K disposable e-cigarette debuts in UK, featuring 18ml e-liquid and 50,000 puff claim. Two versions available.
Dec.24 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Mexico’s ENCODAT 2025 finds smoking rate falls as vaping rises
Mexico’s ENCODAT 2025 finds smoking rate falls as vaping rises
Results from Mexico’s ENCODAT 2025 indicate a structural shift in tobacco and nicotine use: past-month combustible tobacco use among the general population (ages 12–65) declined to 15.1%, down from 17.6% in 2016, while past-month e-cigarette use increased to 2.6%, up from 1.1%.
Dec.25 by 2FIRSTS.ai
China Tobacco Annual Meeting Flags “New Growth Drivers” for 2026: Cigarette Innovation, Domestic Cigars, Overseas Business and Multi-Purpose Use
China Tobacco Annual Meeting Flags “New Growth Drivers” for 2026: Cigarette Innovation, Domestic Cigars, Overseas Business and Multi-Purpose Use
China’s tobacco authorities used their annual industry meeting in Beijing to outline new growth drivers for 2026, highlighting cigarette innovation, domestic cigars, overseas business expansion and multi-purpose tobacco applications.
Jan.20
Breaking News | China Deploys Full-Chain Crackdown on Illicit Tobacco, Enforcement Storm Looms for Illegal Tobacco and E-Cigarettes
Breaking News | China Deploys Full-Chain Crackdown on Illicit Tobacco, Enforcement Storm Looms for Illegal Tobacco and E-Cigarettes
China has issued a high-level directive to crack down on illicit tobacco activities, bringing e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches under tighter enforcement. The move follows a Premier-led meeting and underscores stepped-up oversight across the tobacco supply chain, amid the sector’s continued fiscal importance.
Dec.18