I wonder how that would work in the US? I don't think there's anything illegal about building your own aircraft. That's basically what the EAA is all about I think.
They could get original parts (but through unofficial channels), have qualified personnel use official tools to assemble a helicopter, test it and sell it as real, but don’t get external confirmation that they used good parts and followed correct procedures.
Of course, without the external checks, it becomes easier to increase margins by getting second-hand parts, use unqualified personnel, don’t use official tools and do less quality testing.
* complete rules are extremely complex.
https://www.barnstormers.com/category-18671-Experimental.htm...
However, there are many commercial uses which experimental aircraft are not approved for. This mostly limits their practical utility to personal use (aka “fun”).
Was stalled on downwind turn, fell through electric wires, hung by last wire, communication cable, airplane came to full stop approx 10' off ground, rolled over on its back and dropped upside down on a clump of small scrub oak trees. No prop strike and no injury to pilot.
the realpolitik in this particular case probably goes deeper
"Most of the people suspected of being involved in the production and assembly process, including the organisers and heads of the illegal operation, are residents of Moldova’s breakaway Transnistrian region."
that said, you might enjoy the topic of 'narco subs' which are illicit submarines manufactured to smuggle drugs (mostly from latin america to the US as I understand it)