Joint operation between the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard

• Effects from fraudulent manufacturing valued at more than 3 million euros have been seized.

• The organization's production capacity is estimated to reach 8 million cigarettes per day and fraud against the Public Treasury exceeds 2 million euros per day.

• In the operation, 21 people were arrested for crimes of human trafficking or belonging to a criminal organization.

August 7, 2025.- The Tax Agency's Customs Surveillance Service and the Civil Guard have dismantled a criminal organization accused of setting up illegal factories producing counterfeit and smuggled tobacco. An operation in which 18 people of different nationalities were freed from working in inhumane conditions, and 21 people were arrested.

The investigation began after learning of the alleged installation of an illegal tobacco production factory in a town in the province of Malaga.

A surveillance operation was established on one of the main suspects within the organization, leading agents to a second factory located in the province of Córdoba.

Following a search of both clandestine factories, items from the fraudulent manufacturing process, valued at more than 3 million euros, were seized. The organization is estimated to have had a daily production capacity of 8 million counterfeit cigarettes, resulting in a fraud against the Public Treasury of more than 2 million euros per day.

Furthermore, the Civil Guard confirmed that the organization recruited people from Asian and Eastern European countries through various means, offering them very attractive working conditions. Once these people arrived in Spain, they were taken by members of the organization to the factories mentioned above, where they were held in overcrowded conditions and worked in inhumane conditions.

The agents confirmed that these individuals were being exploited for continuous work shifts without rest, without any compensation, and were allegedly forced to settle a supposed debt owed to the organization.

The investigation concluded with the arrest of 21 people, charged with human trafficking, fraud against the Public Treasury, tobacco smuggling, membership in a criminal organization, and industrial property crimes.

The operation was carried out by the Malaga and Seville Customs Surveillance Operational Units, the Seville Judicial Police Organic Unit, and the Antequera Roca Team, both from the Civil Guard.