Police: criminals in Latvia and neighboring countries cooperate in illegal cigarette production
Latvia's Tax and Customs Police say organized crime groups continue active cross-border cooperation involving components for illegal cigarette manufacturing and trade in the finished products. The information was confirmed to the LETA news agency.
Latvia's State Revenue Service Tax and Customs Police (NMP) has confirmed that cross-border organized crime activity related to illegal cigarette production remains active in Latvia and neighboring countries. The agency shared the information with the LETA news agency.
According to the NMP, criminal groups cooperate not only in circulating finished illegal cigarettes but also in supplying the components needed to manufacture them. This indicates the illegal process spans multiple stages, from raw material supply to finished products reaching the market.
A cross-border problem
The NMP stresses that this criminal activity is not confined to Latvian territory alone — criminals from neighboring countries are also involved, pointing to an organized and coordinated network operating across national borders.
The agency did not specify particular newly uncovered cases or quantitative data on the scale of the activity, but it confirmed that such cooperation between criminal groups continues to exist and remains active.
Illegal cigarette production and trade traditionally cause losses to the state budget, since excise duties and other levies go unpaid on such products. The NMP, as the responsible authority, continues to monitor the situation in this area.
