During the operation in the Pyrenees, 125 searches were conducted, the illegal enterprise, which exploited Ukrainians, was revealed, and raw materials and funds of the total value € 11.5 million were confiscated.

During the operation in the Pyrenees, 125 searches were conducted, the illegal enterprise, which exploited Ukrainians, was revealed, and raw materials and funds of the total value € 11.5 million were confiscated.

Operation ALECRIN was conducted by representatives of the Spanish Civil Guard and the Portuguese National Guard in cooperation with the European Office for the Prevention of Abuse and Fraud OLAF, the European agency Eurojust, and law enforcement officers from Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.

In particular, operatives of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine found that people from the post-Soviet space were recruiting residents of Lviv region who had experience working in a tobacco factory for the illegal enterprise in the EU. Information from Ukrainian border guards helped expose a cross-border criminal group.

During Operation ALECRIN from May 22 to July 16 in Spain and Portugal 29 people were detained, including citizens of Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, as well as our compatriot. As a result of the active measures, cigarettes, raw materials and means for their illegal production, as well as 7 firearms and equipment were confiscated.

In Spain, 28 searches and 27 arrests were conducted, 15 million cigarettes and 50.5 tons of tobacco were confiscated. A clandestine cigarette production line was found in the Municipality of Manzanares, where 12 Ukrainian citizens were illegally exploited. Another line was discovered at the stage of its installation.

In Portugal, 97 searches and 2 arrests were carried out, 2 million cigarettes and 6 quintals of raw materials were confiscated.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine continues to integrate into the European Security Area and systematically counteracts cross-border crime. With the assistance of operatives of the State Border Guard Service, colleagues from the EU have repeatedly identified criminal activities aimed at cigarette production. In 2017 in the Spanish province of Granada an illegal factory of tobacco products, with a capacity to produce 2 million cigarettes per day was found. And in 2020, 4 clandestine tobacco shops were revealed in Spain and in the Netherlands, where 28 Ukrainian citizens were illegally exploited. At that time, 49 people were detained, 33.6 million cigarettes, 60,400 kg of tobacco and production equipment were confiscated.