Bulgaria’s largest illegal cigarette factory to date has been shut down following a coordinated operation involving the State Agency for National Security (SANS), the Interior Ministry, the Customs Agency, and British authorities. Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov confirmed the discovery at a briefing on Wednesday, describing the operation as the largest of its kind in the country.

The illicit factory operated from a facility in Batanovtsi, Pernik Municipality, which had been disguised as a car scrapyard. The production hall was located on the grounds of a former cement plant. Sarafov noted that this bust surpasses last year’s seizure of a similar operation in Momkovo, Haskovo Region, in terms of scale and output.

SANS Chair Denyo Denev highlighted the significant financial investment behind the operation. The factory employed workers from Moldova, who had separate sleeping quarters but did not reside on-site permanently. It remains unclear whether the employees had valid work permits. Authorities also intercepted a truck carrying the factory’s output: approximately 990 cartons of cigarettes, totaling more than 10 million units.

Albena Stoilova, spokesperson for the Pernik District Prosecution Office, clarified that the facility is owned and managed by a sole-proprietor company, led by a young woman. No arrests have been made yet, as authorities are still gathering sufficient evidence to file charges. Several individuals have been identified as involved in the operation, but formal detentions require a solid evidentiary basis.

The primary aim of the illegal production appears to have been export. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing to assess the scope of the operation and the involvement of additional parties.