Illegal Cigarette Manufacturing and Sales Near Elementary School: Business Owner in His 20s Apprehended

A business owner who illegally manufactured and sold cigarettes for four years near an elementary school in Seoul has been apprehended by the police.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Mobile Patrol Unit announced on October 1 that a man in his 20s, identified as Mr. A, has been booked without detention on charges of violating the Tobacco Business Act.

According to the police, Mr. A is suspected of setting up an unlicensed cigarette manufacturing facility near an elementary school in Gangseo District, Seoul, and selling illegally manufactured cigarettes online for four years.

Investigations revealed that Mr. A registered his business on an online shopping mall under the name "Handmade Cigarettes," promoting it with phrases such as "delivery available" and "lots of extra service." He reportedly charged buyers 25,000 won per carton.

The police began their investigation after hearing from a parent, who said, "There is a cigarette shop near the school, and I am worried about the children's health," while increasing patrols around schools in September to ensure safety during commuting hours.

Police became suspicious after noticing a strong smell of cigarettes and continuous machine noise around the business, located about 90 meters from the elementary school. After nine days of analyzing nearby CCTV footage and conducting surveillance, they caught scenes of cigarettes being manufactured and packaged inside the shop. On site, they found a cigarette manufacturing machine, 16 kilograms of tobacco leaves, and 200 cartons of finished cigarettes, worth about 5 million won.

A police official stated, "We will continue to inspect and crack down on harmful environments that threaten children's safety," emphasizing, "Anyone manufacturing or selling cigarettes without a license can face severe penalties under the Tobacco Business Act."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.