Vienna-Floridsdorf: illegal cigarette factory excavated – Vienna Online

As announced on Sunday by the Finance Ministry, the Vienna Customs Investigation and Viennese police units seized numerous devices for the production of cigarettes and a total of 13 tons of tobacco in a warehouse on 12 November. A suspect has been arrested and those responsible are under investigation. The production facility is said to be under construction.

“This is a massive blow against the internationally organized cigarette mafia. I would like to thank the customs authorities for the great job they have done in this case to protect consumers and the honest economy,” said Finance Minister Gernot. Blümel (ÖVP), who was pleased with the reaction. Successful investigation. The authorities had learned of what was happening in the closed building due to a “fire” by an apparently well-informed whistleblower. When it was forcibly opened in the course of a house search, a complete production plant for the manufacture of cigarettes was found in the 1,300 square meter hall, as well as the bedrooms and living rooms of the workers.

Most of them managed to escape by using an opening in a plasterboard wall to find their distance when officials appeared on the scene. Only one man of Greek origin could be arrested and detained.

The confiscated cigarette-making machine, the heart of the production plant, likely came from the Czech Republic. More technical equipment has been obtained from Turkey and Asia, including a tobacco cutter and a tobacco dryer cylinder. Each day, 2,000 to 2,500 boxes of cigarettes could have been produced in the warehouse, requiring seven workers, according to the finance ministry. In order not to attract the attention of power companies due to the high power consumption of the machines, the devices were not operated through the public power grid, but by an independent diesel generator. Insulating rugs taped to the walls protected outside noise.

All the utensils were confiscated by customs investigators and taken away. It was even possible to secure a blocker; This was supposed to render the electronic devices used to locate the researchers’ cell phones or radio signals ineffective.

The illegal “Tschickfabrik” should have been in operation for ten weeks. Experts estimated that around 52,000 boxes of cigarettes were produced, recalled and sold during this period, which was equivalent to a turnover of at least 1.5 million euros on the black market.

The tobacco tax for seized and already produced tobacco would have been € 3.5 million in Austria. Investigators assume that the perpetrators of the illegal machinations have a distribution network throughout Europe.