In early August, in Ozolaine parish, Rēzekne region, while carrying out operational measures in connection with the illegal circulation of excise goods, law enforcement officers detained a man born in 1975. While carrying out procedural actions - including several searches in various places - in the man's residence, vehicle, garage, law enforcement officers seized 382,460 cigarettes of the following brands:"Kenzo Club Apple menthol","NZ Gold","Arizon Queen crust","MG Black" and others. The cigarettes found were both with Belarusian excise stamps and without excise stamps. Also, goods of strategic importance prohibited from circulation were found and seized from the man.

Law enforcement officers detained the man and placed him in a temporary detention center.

Continuing the work in the previously initiated criminal proceedings, a day later, law enforcement officers found a specially constructed hideout in the ground of this man in the forest massif of Ozolaine parish, Rēzekne region. Nine bags were buried in it, which contained 83 packages with a greenish-brown substance of unknown plant origin - hashish-like. The total weight of the packages is approximately 100 kilograms. Expert examinations have currently been ordered to determine the exact composition of the seized substances.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against a person under Section 221, Part One of the Criminal Law, namely for the illegal manufacture (production), storage, transfer or sale of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products, tobacco substitute products, herbal smoking products, electronic smoking devices or liquids in their refill containers, if this has been done in a significant amount. The penalty for this is deprivation of liberty for a period of up to two years or short-term deprivation of liberty, or probation supervision, or community service, or a fine.