BREAKING NEWS: Habanos Germany halts operations due to EU sanctions against Chen Zhi
5TH AVENUE PRODUCTS TRADING-GmbH is the company that serves as the official Habanos distributor for the German market, which has temporarily been forced to pause its operations according to L´Amateur de cigare and Nicotineinsider, both of which broke the news on September 5th.
According to L’Amateur de cigare, German retailers received an email from 5th Avenue Trading stating that they are neither accepting new orders nor shipping existing ones. The email cited limitations in banking relationships as the reason, due to a review of regulatory compliance and sanctions linked to one of its shareholders [Chen Zhi, editor's note].
The email, signed by 5th Avenue’s CEO Christoph Puszkar, asserts that the interruption is temporary, writes L’Amateur de cigare.
Read more: Analysis Brief: Potential Sanctions for European Companies within the Habanos network
It is not clear whether orders placed before September 4 are being shipped out.
5th Avenue had a turnover of 63.8 million EUR with a profit of 14.4 million EUR in 2024.
Footnote: Cigarrvärlden has attempted to have the information confirmed by Christoph Puszkar, who referred to Habanos S.A.'s communications department.
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Published: 16:30 Journalist: Editorial team Photo: Wikipedia commons public domain
Read more about Cigarrvärldens coverage on Cuba & Habanos:
12 September 2025 - Cuban Cigars And Their Asian Partners – Slave Trade, Fraud And Money Laundering. Under The Nose Of The Regulatory Agency In Gothenburg, Sweden.
25 October 2025 - DOJ Tightens Noose On Owner Behind Cuban Cigar Giant
26 October 2025 - Prince Groups latest rebuttal published in full
4 November 2025 - Swedish Habanos Importer gets Reprieve to present Chen Zhi's Cambodian tax and criminal records
9 November 2025 - Klarna blacklists Cuba and freezes payments to Swedish cigar dealers?
12 December 2025 - Chen Zhi to be removed from Habanos
7 January 2026 - Breaking News: Habanos Swedens tobacco license revoked
12 January 2026 - Analysis: What are the future prospects for Chen Zhi, Habanos in Sweden & globally?
2 June 2026: The International Crackdown on Habanos: Swedish Distributor Faces Independent Turmoil
5 June 2026 - Cuban Cigars Facing Potential EU Ban Amid Forced Labor Reports
15 June 2026 - BREAKING NEWS: The Courts Verdict - no Swedish tobacco license for HABANOS
4 August 2026 - BREAKING NEWS: EU Sanctions Against Chen Zhi and Prince Group
6 August 2026 - The Consequences of EU Sanctions Against Chen Zhi for Sweden in Particular and the EU in General
12 August 2026 - Habanos' Proximity to Sanctioned Entities and the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR)
13 August 2026 - BREAKING NEWS: Habanos Sweden Formally Applies for Liquidation
20 August 2026 - Analysis Brief: Potential Sanctions for European Companies within the Habanos network
6 September 2026 - Habanos uses national orchestra´s name as cover for illicit revenue generation
We use AI and Google Translate for translations, with some review to enhance readability. Pardon the Spanglish.
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