Italian customs police have uncovered and dismantled the country’s largest illegal cigarette factory, seizing more than 150 tonnes of counterfeit cigarettes, according to a statement released on Saturday.
The massive underground facility, located near the town of Cassino, southeast of Rome, spanned 1,600 square metres (17,000 square feet) and was hidden beneath a logistics warehouse. Authorities estimate the factory had the capacity to produce over seven million cigarettes daily — equivalent to around 2.7 billion annually.
Access to the illicit operation was concealed by a “sophisticated hydraulic system” that masked the bunker entrance, where manufacturing equipment and vast quantities of fake cigarettes were stored. The hidden entrance was discovered when officers, inspecting what appeared to be an almost-empty warehouse, found electrical switches hidden inside a cardboard box. The switches activated hydraulic levers that raised an aluminium cabin, revealing the underground passage.
Inside, police found a fully operational industrial facility built to modern standards. It housed three complete production lines for processing tobacco and packaging counterfeit cigarettes. The setup could produce about 5,000 cigarettes per minute and included an advanced ventilation system designed to prevent emissions from escaping and drawing attention.
The facility also featured makeshift living quarters for workers, including 18 beds, bathrooms, showers, a dining area, and an on-site machine repair workshop.
The finance ministry estimated that the operation generated more than €900 million (approximately $1.05 billion) in annual revenue. So far, investigators have uncovered approximately €600 million in unpaid taxes linked to the illegal enterprise.
Authorities have identified several suspects in connection with the factory, and at least one arrest has been made as investigations continue.
