“One of the largest counterfeit vodka networks has been destroyed. Vodka under the famous brands of Finlandia and Smirnoff was produced and sold at illegal selling points in Lithuania and also dozens of tons of it were brought to Scandinavia,” Edvardas Šileris, a deputy police commissioner general, told a press conference on Wednesday.
Over 40 tons of illegal alcohol were found during searches in Kaunas District and 15 people were detained, and five of them, including the organizer of the illegal activity, were subsequently arrested. The suspects are known to police as several of them had prior convictions.
Six expensive vehicles, inlcuding a trailer, were taken and 200,000 euros were also seized.
The illegal business is thought to have been operated since November.