Tobacco Smuggling
It is estimated that around 13% of cigarettes sold are from the illicit market, this represents £1.7bn in loss of revenue to the UK Government. Illicit hand rolling tobacco sales are around 53% of the market with a loss in tax revenue of £750m.
Tobacco smuggling is perpetrated at every level of criminal involvement, from the petty criminal, selling 'cheap fags' in the local pub, through to organised crime syndicates who manage the trade through large-scale container fraud. A single container can hold 10 million cigarettes.
As well as defrauding the Treasury, contraband cigarettes also significantly undermine efforts to support stop smoking policies and education. The high cost of cigarettes is a key influence on consumption levels and is a strong factor in many long-term smokers' decision to quit
and in deterring young people to start smoking.
Counterfeit cigarettes
Smuggled cigarettes are fully regulated 'big brand' products which carry the same health risks as legally traded cigarettes. There are even greater health concerns regarding counterfeit cigarettes which are another growing area of tobacco crime.
Just over half of all the cigarettes seized by British customs since 2000 have been counterfeit (9 billion cigarettes).
Most counterfeit or fake cigarettes are manufactured in the Far East and Eastern Europe. For the most part, they are virtually indistinguishable in appearance from the genuine article, although the smoking experience can be poor. However, they are manufactured in unregulated conditions and have no rules regarding ingredients, production conditions or the health and safety of the workforce, including child labour.
Counterfeit cigarettes are made from low-grade tobacco.
A 2004 Treasury report shows this to be a major crime target area driven by serious economic and social concerns. It is a fact that the profits from counterfeit tobacco trading funds organised crime including people trafficking and terrorism.
HM Customs and Excise have a hot line
for anonimously reporting sales of smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes 0500 59 5000
www.illicittobacconorth.org.uk