Slovak Financial Administration Shuts Down Secret Cigarette Factory in Operation Timer

Slovak authorities dismantled an illegal cigarette manufacturing operation that caused more than two million euros in state losses, resulting in the arrest of 20 people. The Financial Administration, Slovakia's tax collection agency responsible for combating tax evasion and smuggling, conducted Operation Timer which uncovered a clandestine factory producing untaxed cigarettes. During the raid, investigators seized sophisticated equipment including signal jammers and surveillance cameras, indicating the operation's extensive security measures to avoid detection. The illegal cigarette production represents a significant form of tax evasion that costs the Slovak state millions in lost tobacco tax revenue annually.