Two Arrested Following the Uncovering of an Illegal Cigarette Production Facility in the Haskovo Region (photos)

In a special joint operation conducted by Bulgaria’s General Directorate for Combatting Organised Crime (GDBOP) and the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office, authorities have uncovered the largest illegal cigarette production facility ever found in the country.

The factory was located in the vicinity of Momkovo village, Haskovo region, where over 100 million cigarettes of various commercial brands were discovered, along with a large number of machines used to manufacture the products in underground chambers.

At a press briefing on July 10, Minister of Interior, Daniel Mitov, confirmed that several individuals have been arrested as part of the operation.

“I congratulate the director of GDBOP and the Haskovo police for the excellent coordination with the Prosecutor’s Office,” said Mitov. Several individuals have been detained.

A second operation also uncovered what we call a 'factory for fake news and manipulation', allegedly connected to the 'We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria' (WCC–DB) coalition. The identities of the individuals involved are still being determined.

The illegal cigarette factory had certainly been in operation for two to three years. The site included living quarters for the workers, and electric generators were installed, indicating the organizers were aware that electricity consumption could reveal their activities.”

The investigation also uncovered a truck with foreign registration attempting to smuggle a shipment of the untaxed cigarettes across the northern Bulgarian border, near General Toshevo in Dobrich Province, where it was stopped for inspection.

Authorities continue to identify additional persons of interest connected to the operation. Detention hearings and formal charges are expected, and multiple witnesses have been questioned so far.