Uvape Vape Chain Shifts Ownership Amidst BEB Investigation

Uvape Network Under Scrutiny

According to Главком: The Uvape electronic cigarette retail chain has formally changed its legal entities in response to an ongoing, year-long investigation by the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB). This probe focuses on the illicit trade of excisable goods, money laundering, and smuggling. As part of the investigation, searches have been conducted, resulting in the seizure of documentation related to the network's operations.

The BEB and the Office of the Prosecutor General are examining Uvape's activities. The company had previously operated using a retail tobacco license held by the company Freitis, which expired on December 29, 2025. Following media reports on the investigation, Uvape began selling its products under the name of a new entity, Restreid LLC, which possesses a valid license. Restreid LLC was registered on June 10, 2025, and its sole founder and owner is Anna Korzh.

Criminal Proceedings and Raids

Restreid LLC is also named in the criminal proceedings led by the BEB's Main Detective Unit concerning the Uvape network. The investigation covers the illegal production and sale of excisable goods and the laundering of criminally obtained assets. On July 31, 2025, BEB detectives conducted a search at a Uvape store on Pavla Tychyna Avenue in Kyiv, where they found an employee officially registered with Restreid LLC. Documentation, including receipts issued by this company, was seized during the raid.

The Prosecutor General's Office is analyzing the activities of over ten business entities as part of the Uvape criminal case. The list of these entities includes:

• Freitis
• Zentos
• Rixated
• Liftend
• Trintals
• Kantrix
• Greters
• Uvp Lab
• Kontrix
• Rinton
• Rentan

To date, no suspects have been formally charged in the case. The investigation also encompasses the smuggling of excisable goods by a group of individuals through border crossings in the Lviv and Volyn regions. According to documents, the cargo was received by Tysa Energy Group LLC, a company controlled by Ivan Cheypesh, a former aide to a Member of Parliament from the 'Servant of the People' party.

New regulations taking effect on October 1, 2025, will prohibit the retail sale and free distribution of tobacco raw materials for e-cigarettes and nicotine in Ukraine. Violations will carry a fine of 200% of the goods' value, with a minimum penalty of 25,941 hryvnias. In light of these upcoming legal changes, the Uvape network is being forced to adapt its business model to comply and avoid severe penalties.

The situation surrounding the Uvape network highlights broader challenges in regulating the excisable goods market in Ukraine, particularly under new legislative initiatives.