A combined operation of the Tax Agency and the Guardia Civil

• In the operation ‘Robust,” 13 people have been arrested, 5 searches were made, and in addition to the 100 tons of tobacco 1,866 production machines and 3 top-range vehicles were seized.
• The organisation had a large portfolio of customers who they attracted via its website
• They used chemical products to improve the flavour and aroma of the tobacco with no type of sanitary control
• These people are accused of criminal offences of belonging to a criminal organisation, smuggling and against the Public Treasury

 

September 29, 2016.- A joint investigation carried out by the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, within the framework of the so-called 'Robust' operation, has allowed the dismantling of the storage and distribution infrastructure of a tobacco smuggling organization, leading to the arrest of thirteen people and the seizure of 100,000 kilos of tobacco products valued at 16 million euros, which represents the largest seizure of tobacco products to date in Spain.

The operation ‘"ROBUST" included five searches in several industrial addresses and premises in various municipalities of Valencia and Badajoz, in which 100,000 kilos of tobacco products were seized, in addition to 1,866 machines for the manufacture of tobacco products and heavy machinery for drying the tobacco, as well as numerous sacks containing chemical substances for use in preparing the end product.

 

More than eight months of investigation

This operation was commenced in January this year, when officials became aware of the existence of a website offering various varieties of tobacco and related products.

Having made the pertinent verifications, it was confirmed that the analysed substances were tobacco products, and this activity is subject to excise duties.

The company in question simulated dedication to a legal activity (sale of tobacco leaf), but in fact it transformed the tobacco leaf to sell the resulting product in retail form via Internet.

With these operations it succeeded in evading the controls of the competent health authorities, owing to the fact that its alleged trading activity only consisted in the distribution of the product and not in its preparation for end consumption.

For this reason, and with all the data provided by the investigations carried out, the operation to arrest the organisation's members was commenced.

In the implementation stage of this operation, it has been possible to arrest 13 persons (10 men and 3 women) of Polish and Spanish nationalities aged between 22 and 60 years.

In the searches carried out in L'Eliana, Lliria, Riba-Roja del Turia and Bétera (Valencia) and in Badajoz, the leaders of the case seized 100 tons of tobacco, 1,866 machines for making tobacco products and various consumption materials.

 

Seized items

The value of the seized tobacco would be around 16 million euros, estimating that the seized products would represent a debt for excise duties of more than two million euros. In addition, 3 top-range vehicles, 2 vans and a large-capacity motorbike were seized.

The officials also located heavy machinery for drying the tobacco and complementing it with additives and preservatives, in addition to several sacks of chemical products used to improve the aroma or flavour of the tobacco, with no type of health control.

This operation has succeeded in dismantling three points dedicated to clandestine transformation and preparation of tobacco for sale via Internet. This has prevented the circulation of more than 100 tons of tobacco not subjected to the obligatory health controls.

The operation carried out by Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency in Valencia and the Organic Unit of Judicial Police of the Guardia Civil of Valencia has had the support of the IT Support Unit of the Tax Agency in Alicante and the Customs Inspection Service of Valencia and the GRS Nº3 of Valencia, in addition to the collaboration of Customs Surveillance officials and the Guardia Civil of Badajoz.

The proceedings conducted have been delivered to the Magistrates' Courts no. 4 of Llíria.

A photographic annex is attached.