Italy's largest illegal cigarette factory discovered - The plant was located in a bunker in the province of Frosinone
Italy's largest illegal cigarette factory, hidden in a bunker near Cassino in the province of Frosinone, has been uncovered. The operation led to the record seizure of around 300 tonnes of cigarettes, the arrest of one person and the filing of several smuggling charges.
The investigations revealed that taxes worth around 600 million euros had been evaded, while illegal profits were estimated at around 130 million euros. Assets worth 53 million euros were also seized.
The illegal factory was accessed through a sophisticated hydraulic device that perfectly concealed the bunker where the machinery and tons of contraband cigarettes were located. According to technical reports, the plant had the capacity to produce about 2.7 billion cigarettes per year, or approximately 7.2 million per day. The warehouse appeared empty, but inside a large box was hidden an electric remote control that, through a combination of buttons, activated hydraulic levers to raise an aluminum structure that was used as an office. The bunker could be reached via a freight elevator.
The structure contained interconnected corridors, passages, and tunnels, was well-lit, and equipped with ventilation systems to prevent the spread of production fumes. The underground floor also contained sleeping quarters with 18 beds, bathrooms, showers, and a dining room, where production workers could rest.
At the factory, over 150 tons of contraband cigarettes, linked to various brands, ready to be distributed on the Italian and European Union markets, were found. Over 170 tons of precursor materials were also discovered, including 12 million counterfeit cartons, 15 million filters, as well as other auxiliary materials for cigarette production.
This discovery represents one of the biggest blows to tobacco smuggling in Europe and demonstrates the high degree of organization and sophistication of the criminal network behind this activity.
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