Bulgaria police bust high‑tech illegal cigarette factory in Mizia, arrest 9

The Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) in Bulgaria, together with Poland’s Central Bureau of Investigation and the EU anti‑fraud office OLAF, raided a modern illegal cigarette factory hidden in a former cellulose plant in the town of Mizia. The operation, carried out on a Saturday afternoon, led to the seizure of two freight trucks, large quantities of tobacco and production equipment, and the discovery of a sound‑proofed workshop with its own generator and living quarters for workers.

Nine people were detained – seven foreign nationals and two Bulgarian citizens – including one individual sought since 2022 for involvement in another illicit cigarette operation. Authorities indicated that over 100 million cigarettes could be involved and that further arrests and vehicle seizures are expected as investigations continue.