22/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - After an operation conducted in Vilnius, the Lithuanian customs administration, backed by OLAF (European Anti-Fraud Office) closed down an illegal cigarette factory in Vilnius, capable of producing at least 1,000 cigarettes a minute. The factory, where six people were arrested, produced three brands of cigarettes for the illegal markets in the EU. As well as cigarette-
making and packing machines, Lithuanian customs seized large quantities of tobacco, paper and other materials used in the production of cigarettes. Nicholas Ilett, acting Director General of OLAF, said that the number of illegal cigarettes had considerably increased in the EU over the last five years. Since the
discovery of the first illegal factory in 2003, over 50 illegal production plants have been closed by EU law enforcement agencies. (L.C./transl.jl)