Alex Trelinski
A COUNTERFEIT cigarette factory operating around the clock in Malaga province with a monthly turnover of €4 million has been dismantled by the Guardia Civil.
Officers raided the premises in Alhaurin el Grande on October 24 and arrested 10 people- all of whom have been denied bail.
1,448 packs of fake cigarettes have been seized with the factory distributing its products all around Spain.
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The Guardia Civil operation started in September when investigators discovered that several people were sleeping in a warehouse on an industrial estate in the Guadalhorce valley town.
After several weeks of surveillance, officers deduced that the building housed a clandestine tobacco factory where cigarettes of four internationally known brands were manufactured and counterfeited.
Officers swooped last month when a lorry with false number plates was about to enter the premises.
After arresting the driver, police entered the warehouse and found nine people inside.
The illegal factory had a large production capacity and a considerable level of sophistication according to the Guardia.
A powerful self-contained generator was found which powered the machinery, in addition to 500 litres of fuel.
To avoid detection, the operators had soundproofed the generator and constructed an exhaust pipe to expel any gases.
During the search, police officers seized 1,448 packets of cigarettes ready for sale, as well as 2,040 kilograms of tobacco, a large amount of materials such as paper, filters, machinery, silk-screened plates with the name of the commercial brands and packets ready to be assembled.
