Investigators uncovered a high-tech illicit cigarette factory in Karnobat’s industrial zone during an operation on the evening of 28 October. About 12 tonnes of tobacco, production equipment and finished cigarettes bearing well-known brand logos were found. A 58-year-old local man has been detained.
The operation involved the organised-crime directorate, Border Police and the State Agency for National Security, under the supervision of the Burgas District Prosecutor’s Office. Details presented on 29 October describe equipment spread across three production halls and materials for a complete manufacturing cycle.
The inventory includes filters, packaging blanks, adhesives and wrapping film. The premises were soundproofed and monitored by cameras. Eight sleeping rooms, a kitchen and sanitary facilities had also been arranged for workers, alongside an improvised gym and recreation area.
Those facilities point to an operation designed to accommodate production and staff on site. They do not, by themselves, establish how long the factory worked, its actual output or the identity and role of everyone involved. Investigators are still seeking other people connected to the activity.
The prosecution says the products were intended for Bulgaria and Western European markets. The value of the seized excise goods remains to be determined, although prosecutors describe an amount running into millions of euros. The precise financial damage requires examination rather than an estimate based only on the weight of the tobacco.
Pretrial proceedings concern production and possession for distribution of tobacco products without the necessary authorisation, as well as excise goods without duty stamps. The investigation is at an early stage. The detained man’s role and any criminal responsibility remain matters to be established through the proceedings.
