Large illegal cigarette factory shut down in Riga

Authorities in Riga have shut down a large illegal cigarette manufacturing operation, the Tax and Customs Police of the State Revenue Service reported. According to police, the newly discovered facility was even larger in scale than the illegal cigarette factory uncovered in June in Grobiņa, which at the time was considered one of the biggest such discoveries in the country.

Full production cycle

The Riga facility was equipped with machinery capable of supporting a complete production cycle, from processing raw materials to finished cigarettes. This points to an organized and technologically advanced illegal operation rather than a makeshift setup.

Eighteen detained

During the search of the premises, police detained 18 people who, according to the authorities, were working there illegally. No further details have been released regarding the next steps in the investigation or the identities of those involved.

The discovery follows the similar case uncovered in Grobiņa earlier this year, suggesting that illegal cigarette production remains an ongoing challenge for Latvia's tax and customs authorities.