The Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard has dismantled two clandestine tobacco factories in Madrid and Cordova in an operation with 20 detainees that has allowed eleven workers of Bulgarian origin to be released inside one of the warehouses.
The operation has dismantled an international organization dedicated to the distribution of contraband tobacco, as well as the laundering of the profits obtained. In the operation, nearly 33 tons of tobacco leaves and 6 million counterfeit cigarettes were seized, according to the Civil Guard.
Among the counterfeit material, presumably addressed to his sale on the black market In Portugal and France, products from the main brands are found, detecting for the first time the use of generic cartons.
Facilities in Lucena and Humanes
The investigation, which remains open, has made it possible to carry out various arrests in the towns of Antequera (Málaga), Montilla and Lucena (Córdoba), Humanes (Madrid) and Azuqueca de Henares (Guadalajara), as well as various records distributed in the provinces of Córdoba and Madrid.
For all this, it has been possible to dismantle two facilities in Lucena and Humanes in Madrid. “great size and sophistication” dedicated to the illicit manufacture of cigarettes. These were dedicated to productionincluding the crushing and treatment of the tobacco leaf, the composition of cigarettes, as well as their subsequent packaging and preparation for distribution.
Within both infrastructures, the work and living areas of their workers were fully differentiated, the latter being where the workers themselves were permanently housedwithout being able to leave during the entire period of stay in Spanish territory.
In the specific case of the Humanes factory, inside there were eleven workers locked up of Bulgarian origin, who have finally been released. Furthermore, the Civil Guard has highlighted that the dismantled factory in Lucena was built with the intention of being isolated and prevent access from outsidemaking it difficult to detect.
Those arrested were trying to camouflage this Lucena factory by giving it the appearance of hosting a legal economic activity. In fact, inside, on a false wall, a cellar had been built where they hid the workers in case of any police presence or inspection.
Tobacco worth 7.6 million
According to the investigators’ calculation, the seized product amounts to more than six million cigarettes approximately counterfeit goods, as well as 33 tons of tobacco leaves, estimating a value of close to 7.6 million euros.
The investigation has been carried out by the UCO through its Department of Economic Investigation and Anti-Corruption, together with the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of Córdoba, with the support of various Units of the Commands of Badajoz, Córdoba, Guadalajara and Madrid.
Likewise, it stands out the International cooperation maintained with the European agencies EUROPOL and OLAF, the Department of Operational and Search Activities of the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, and especially, the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security.
In addition to the police actions carried out, on March 9, Civil Guard agents delivered to Cáritas Diocesana de Córdoba nonperishable food and essential items that were previously intervened during the search carried out at the facilities located in the town of Lucena.
