Croatia: Investigation launched against four for illegal tobacco trade

Croatian anti-corruption agency USKOK has launched an investigation into four Croatian citizens suspected of involvement in illegal tobacco trafficking. The probe, initiated based on a report from the Karlovac Police Administration, targets individuals born in 1963, 1974, 1982, and 1971. They are accused of forming a criminal association to profit from the illicit sale of tobacco.

Authorities allege that from February 10 to May 26, 2026, the suspects collaborated to acquire significant quantities of fine-cut tobacco lacking Croatian Ministry of Finance tax stamps. This tobacco was then transported and resold to buyers in the Karlovac region. Specifically, one suspect reportedly sourced the tobacco near Zagreb, storing it at an unknown location before transporting it to Karlovac with another accomplice. A second vehicle allegedly provided security for the transport route to agreed-upon locations.

At these designated spots, another suspect received the tobacco and stored it in an unoccupied house and a disused woodshed in Karlovac. There, two suspects allegedly packaged the tobacco into smaller quantities for resale on the black market. Through this operation, the accused are believed to have procured and delivered at least 1,080 kilograms of tobacco, generating an estimated illegal profit of at least 48,600 euros, which was then divided among them according to their roles.

USKOK plans to request pre-trial detention for two of the suspects from the investigating judge at the Zagreb County Court. However, the agency stated that there were no grounds to request detention for the other two individuals. The investigation aims to dismantle the criminal network involved in the large-scale illegal tobacco trade.

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USKOK will propose the determination of pre-trial detention against two defendants to the investigating judge of the County Court in Zagreb, while for the other defendants, pre-trial detention was not proposed because there were no grounds for it.