Three Murmansk region residents sold over 27,000 packs of counterfeit cigarettes

In the Murmansk region, the activity of an organized group was stopped: three northerners were selling counterfeit cigarettes throughout the Arctic region.

According to the investigation, a Murmansk resident born in 1984 bought cigarettes in another region with counterfeit excise and federal special stamps. He brought them to the Murmansk region and involved two acquaintances — a man and a woman. Together they distributed illegal tobacco throughout the Arctic region.

Police, with the support of the National Guard (Rosgvardia), conducted searches in 21 retail outlets in Kovdor, Apatity, the Kola and Lovozero districts, as well as in a warehouse in Murmansk. More than 27,000 packs of cigarettes were removed from illegal circulation. Preliminary damage is about 2 million rubles (approx. $22,200 at current rates).

— A number of criminal cases are being investigated, provided for by points «a», «b» of part 6 of Article 171.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation «Acquisition, storage, transportation, sale of tobacco products without labeling, committed by an organized group, causing especially large damage to the state», points «a», «b» of part 6 of Article 327.1 «Use of knowingly counterfeit special (excise) stamps for marking tobacco products, committed by an organized group, causing large damage to the state», and part 3 of Article 180 «Illegal use of someone else»s trademark, committed by an organized group, causing large damage«, the Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (UMVD) said.

Recall that in Murmansk, northerners who made and sold counterfeit alcohol will also be tried.