Combined operation by the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard

• This is the largest seizure of tobacco snuff carried out to date in Spain
• Its volume would be equivalent to more than eight and a half million cigarette packs.
• Operation 'Rosa' results in the arrest of two people and is part of the actions that the Civil Guard and the Tax Agency have been carrying out against tobacco smuggling.

 

July 1, 2016.- A joint investigation by the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, within the framework of the so-called 'Operation Rosa', has led to the dismantling of the storage and distribution infrastructure of a tobacco smuggling organization, leading to the arrest of two people and the seizure of 95,000 kilograms of tobacco products, which is the largest seizure of tobacco products to date in Spain.

The investigations, carried out in a coordinated manner by the Customs Surveillance Unit of the Tax Agency in Granada and the Organic Unit of Judicial Police of the Civil Guard of Granada, were initiated as a result of the new lines of investigation launched in that area following fraud detected in other recent actions and with the collaboration of the Association of Tobacconists of Granada, given the decrease detected by them in sales of cut tobacco.

The researchers contrasted the illegal circulation and sale of tobacco bags, marketed without complying with the mandatory health requirements.

The investigation began in January 2016. Following initial investigations, it was possible to verify that the scheme was identical to that of other networks, as they also focused their activity on the sale of this type of tobacco to be smoked through different websites.

Hidden manufacturing activity

The company acquired and transformed tobacco leaves, facilitating the cutting of tobacco by other companies and individuals, simulating a wholesale marketing activity of unpackaged tobacco leaves, which, consequently, evaded the control of the competent health, tax and regulatory authorities of the tobacco market, which would have intervened in its activity if the sales were intended for consumption of the leaves as tobacco products.

Researchers found that this company, in a short period of time, significantly increased its purchases of unmanufactured tobacco products from both local farmers and national producers.

Ships in Chauchina

Following numerous surveillance and follow-ups of suspicious targets, investigators from the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard detected three warehouses in Chauchina (Granada) where tobacco manufacturing work was being carried out to convert it into a product suitable for smoking.

The merchandise was subsequently distributed to other companies or individuals in different places in Andalusia (Granada, Almería, Seville, and Jaén).

This fraudulent conversion of tobacco leaves into a product that, without the need for sophisticated industrial manipulation, is transformed into tobacco suitable for consumption, was carried out in violation of the legal and health requirements established by law, thereby incurring the organization in alleged crimes of Smuggling, against Public Health and against the Public Treasury.

Following the appropriate checks, on the 23rd the three warehouses in Chauchina (Granada) were searched, with the seizure of 66,000 and 29,000 kg. tobacco work in two of them respectively, resulting in two people being arrested. Various processing machinery was also discovered in the first ship inspected. Five vans and one vehicle belonging to the organisation were also seized during the searches.

This is the largest seizure of this type of tobacco products carried out to date in Spain. The quantity seized is equivalent to approximately more than eight and a half million packets of cigarettes.

Both the detainees and the seized goods have been placed at the disposal of the Court of First Instance and Instruction No. 1 of Santa Fe (Granada). The investigation is still ongoing, so further arrests cannot be ruled out.

This operation was carried out within the framework of collaboration that the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard have maintained for the suppression of tobacco smuggling and in the fight against fraud in electronic commerce.