On April 14, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced via social media that his office, in cooperation with the Bureau of Economic Security, has dismantled a large-scale illegal production and distribution network for E-Liquids operating across Ukraine since 2023.
The criminal group had built a complete underground system to manufacture and sell nicotine mixtures, primarily flavored e-liquids that are banned in Ukraine. All flavors except pure tobacco were prohibited. The products were distributed through an extensive network that included both physical retail outlets and online stores.
More than 200 people were reportedly involved in keeping the operation running. During the coordinated raids, law enforcement carried out over 70 simultaneous searches in Kyiv city and the regions of Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv. They targeted the homes of the organizers, production sites, and sales locations.
Among the seized items were:
- Approximately 43,500 flavored finished products
- 30,200 glycerin-based items
- 36,000 flavor and strength enhancers
- 19,800 pods
- 3,600 complete pod systems
- 27 production machines
Authorities also confiscated large quantities of raw materials: 180 liters of propylene glycol, 660 liters of glycerin, and 205 liters of flavorings. In addition, they found over $70,000 in cash (roughly 477,000 RMB), computers, and handwritten ledgers detailing the illegal activities.
The total value of the seized assets is approximately 30 million Ukrainian hryvnia (about 471,700 RMB). All confiscated property will be officially seized. The illegal temporary retail stalls (known as MAFs) used for sales were also demolished.
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are working to identify all individuals involved and prepare further legal action.