"A Suspicious Smell" Man in His 20s Arrested for Illegally Manufacturing and Selling Cigarettes Near Elementary School

[Financial News] A man in his 20s was arrested by police for selling illegally manufactured cigarettes near an elementary school.
The Mobile Patrol Unit of the SMPA announced on the 1st that the man, identified as Mr. A in his 20s, was booked without detention on charges of violating the Tobacco Business Act.
Mr. A is accused of operating a hand-rolled cigarette shop near an elementary school in Gangseo District, where he illegally manufactured and sold cigarettes.
It was revealed that for about four years, he sold illegally manufactured cigarettes without a tobacco manufacturing license, advertising on internet sites and delivering the products by courier.
According to current law, anyone wishing to engage in the tobacco manufacturing business must obtain a license from the Minister of Economy and Finance as stipulated by presidential decree. Those who manufacture cigarettes without this license face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.
The police intensified patrols around schools by deploying the Mobile Patrol Unit, during which they received a tip from a parent who said, "There is a cigarette shop near the school, and I am worried about the children's health."
Upon inspection, the shop was found in the basement of a building about 90 meters from the elementary school. There was a strong smell of tobacco in the area, and the sound of machinery could be heard, raising suspicions.
After analyzing nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage for about nine days and conducting surveillance, police confirmed scenes of cigarettes being manufactured and packaged inside the shop.
Police then raided the site and discovered a warehouse equipped with cigarette manufacturing facilities, including a cigarette-making machine, 16 kg of tobacco leaves, filters, and about 200 cartons of finished cigarettes—illegal products worth approximately 5 million won. The shop owner was arrested for violating the Tobacco Business Act.
An official from the SMPA emphasized, "We will continue to conduct inspections and improvements on harmful environments that threaten children's safety, so that our police activities resonate with citizens."


jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter