Back office in Monaco and billions in losses: the pseudo-Duty Free scheme of Ihor Abramovych enveloped the record 21,6% shadow cigarette market

Ihor Abramovych, who fled to Monaco and oversees the “excise” back office, has received fresh results of his work.

According to Kantar, the share of illicit cigarettes rose to a record 21,6% over the past two years, and the budget at the current level loses about 36,4 billion UAH per year.

The fastest-growing area is pseudo-export and pseudo-Duty Free: cigarettes are arranged for export or duty-free trading, but are sold without tax in Ukrainian kiosks owned by Abramovych’s partner — the former deputy head of the National Police and head of the Department for Economic Protection, Ihor Kupranets.