Civil Guard agents stopped a criminal operation centered in Busot, uncovering a covert tobacco workshop run by a 44-year-old Polish man and a 36-year-old Moroccan woman who used forged documents to rent a residence for the illicit activity. The discovery came after authorities were alerted to suspicious activity and later confirmed the existence of a fully equipped tobacco production site. In the home, investigators recovered more than 200 pounds of tobacco, 4,368 counterfeit cigarette packs, and production machinery capable of producing up to 12,000 cigarettes each hour.
The counterfeit tobacco appeared to originate from a well-known brand, and the distributor behind the scheme intends to file legal action against the arrestees. The smuggling network primarily targeted markets in Poland and Germany, according to initial findings.
At the time of the raid, neither detainee was present. They were subsequently arrested on charges that included smuggling, intellectual property violation, public finances offenses, public health offenses, document forgery, and money laundering.
One photograph from the scene shows a view of the operation in a Busot residence, highlighting the scale of the setup. Investigators noted that the suspected man had been unemployed and had paid around 1,500 euros in rent from funds sourced abroad, with investigators estimating approximately 50,000 euros in proceeds tied to the illegal activity. The tip leading to the intervention stemmed from a neighbor who reported unusual activity in the urban area of Busot. Officers observed an open window through which numerous packages and tobacco production machines were stored.
During the search, authorities seized 17 boxes containing 202 kilograms of tobacco, 4,368 counterfeit cigarette packs, ready-to-fill tubes, 3,640 tins of tobacco, and 307 grams of marijuana. They also confiscated a sealing machine for tobacco packets and a machine designed to roll, tube, and fill cigarettes at a rate of about 1,000 metres per hour, with a value exceeding twelve thousand euros. The operation reportedly manipulated products using a counterfeit Marlboro branding to facilitate smuggling and primarily shipped counterfeit tobacco to Poland and Germany.
Images from the scene show the seized equipment and packaging in a cluttered setting within Busot. The Civil Guard described the seized machinery and materials as dangerous to public health because they could evade health checks and enter the market unchecked.
The detainees and the case were placed under the jurisdiction of the San Vicente Instruction Court No. 2, the authority handling the investigation. Authorities emphasized that the intervention prevented a large quantity of potentially harmful cigarettes from reaching consumers before undergoing proper health controls. The operation was conducted by the Sant Joan d’Alacant Civil Guard Main Station as part of ongoing efforts to combat illicit tobacco production and distribution within the region.