Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

148 violations have been registered this year. The State Committee for Technical Regulation and Consumer Policy (Derzhspozhivstandard) has checked 737 retail outlets of tobacco products in 20 regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea from Sept. 23 through Nov. 5 this year and registered 148 violations.

The committee examined a range of tobacco products at markets and studied the situation in the tobacco products trade in illegal places, according to the committee's report.

"The sale of tobacco products in open places was registered in the most regional and district centers. In particular, such cases are spread in the main places of trade infrastructure (at markets, mini markets, trade sites, strip malls, market complexes), as well as in places that are visited by very large amounts of people, near transport junctions and stops for municipal transport," the report said.

Apart from this, the committee uncovered illegal production, mostly in the border regions of Ukraine

Representatives of Ukraine's tobacco market have forecast a rise in the illegal trade of tobacco products, as tobacco excise taxes have been increased several times.