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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for cigarette smuggling
25 results foundAuthor: Joossens, Luk Title: How Eliminating the Global Illicit Cigarette Trade Would Increase Tax Revenue and Save Lives Summary: This report presents the following: 1) Updated country level estimates of the illicit cigarette market around the world, using 2007 data or as close to 2007 as available; 2) Evidence that higher income countries, where cigarettes are more expensive, have lower levels of cigarette smuggling than lower income countries, contrary to the tobacco industry claim that the overall level of smuggling is dependent on cigarette price; 3) Evidence that the burden of cigarette smuggling falls disproportionately on low and middle income countries, where the majority of the world's tobacco users live; and 4) Estimates of the number of lives saved and revenue gained globally in the future if smuggling were eliminated. Details: Paris: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 2009. 30p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 119395 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllegal Trade, Cigarettes |
Author: Kabir, FHM Humayan Title: Tracing Illicit Tobacco Trade in South Asia. Focus Countries: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka Summary: As evidenced by the on-going negotiations of a protocol to combat illicit trade into tobacco products by the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the illegal trade in tobacco products has come to receive international attention in recent times. Nevertheless, evidence regarding the nature, magnitude and strategies to address the problem is largely limited to Europe and North America. Illicit trade was estimated to constitute nearly 11.6 % of global cigarette sales in 2009. In Asia, illicit trade constituted 9 % of the overall sales. Existing estimates and media reports indicate Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in South Asia as highly vulnerable to this out-law trade. Illicit tobacco trade undermines public health measures such as taxation that help reduce tobacco use. Preliminary media reports from the region point towards linkages of illicit tobacco trade with extensive tax evasion, sabotage of customs and border controls and money laundering. South Asia region presents some unique challenges to regulating illicit tobacco trade. The vast variety of tobacco products illegally traded within and out of the region and the major modes of trade differ considerably from the markets in the West that are familiar to international policy makers and regulators. The inadequacies of the tax collection mechanisms and the recent spurt in Free Trade Zones in the Four-Country Research Summary region poses unique challenges to regulating illicit trade in South Asia. Research by Center for Public Integrity in the region also informs key areas for further research. In developing an effective global strategy to combat illicit tobacco trade, it is important to begin by ascertaining the nature and modes of this illegal trade, their implications for public health, economy and the society and possible means to control them. Framework Convention Alliance and HealthBridge has therefore commissioned a multi-country investigative researchexploring the nature and magnitude of illicit tobacco trade inBangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The research was conducted between November 2009 and September 2010. In-country researchers with expertise in investigative research from the four study countries gathered information on the illegal supply chain of tobacco and allied industries and analysed its contributing factors and impact on national and regional economies and public safety. The researchers engaged primary and secondary sources in gathering information. The analysis and views expressed in the country reports are solely that of the country researchers. While the study objectives varied slightly in line with country priorities, the overarching goals of the multi-country research were to: 1. Explore the nature, forms and magnitude of illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products in the study countries 2. Describe the impact of illicit tobacco trade on national and regional economy and public safety 3. Identify challenges in controling the illicit tobacco trade 4. Identify best practices and strategies to control illicit trade in tobacco products. Details: Ottawa: HealthBridge, 2010. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 4, 2011 at: http://www.healthbridge.ca/Illicit%20Tobacco%20Trade%20in%20South%20Asia.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Asia URL: http://www.healthbridge.ca/Illicit%20Tobacco%20Trade%20in%20South%20Asia.pdf Shelf Number: 123223 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllegal TradeIllicit Tobacco (South Asia)Organized Crime |
Author: Lovenheim, Michael F. Title: How Far to the Border?: The Extent and Impact of Cross-Border Casual Cigarette Smuggling Summary: This paper uses micro-data on cigarette consumption from four waves of the CPS Tobacco Supplement to estimate cigarette demand models that incorporate the decision of whether to smuggle cigarettes across a state or Native American Reservation border. I ¯nd demand elasticities with respect to the home state price are indistinguishable from zero on average and vary signi¯cantly with the distance individuals live to a lower-price border. However, when smuggling incentives are eradicated, the price elasticity is negative, though still inelastic. I also estimate cross-border sales cause a modest increase in consumption, and between 13 and 25 percent of consumers purchase cigarettes in border localities in the CPS sample. The central implication of this study is, while cigarette taxes are ine®ective at achieving the goals for which they were levied in many states, there are signi¯cant potential gains from price increases that are confounded by cross-border sales. Details: Stanford, CA: Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Stanford University, 2007. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: SIEPR Discussion Paper No. 06-40: Accessed May 10, 2012 at: http://www-siepr.stanford.edu/papers/pdf/06-40.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www-siepr.stanford.edu/papers/pdf/06-40.pdf Shelf Number: 125240 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllicit TobaccoTax Evasion |
Author: Goolsbee, Austan Title: Playing with Fire: Cigarettes, Taxes and Competition from the Internet Summary: This paper documents the rise of the Internet as a source of cigarette tax competition for states in the United States. Using data on cigarette tax rates, taxable cigarette sales and individual smoking rates by state from 1980 to 2005 merged with data on Internet penetration, the paper documents that there has been a substantial increase in the sensitivity of taxable cigarette sales that is correlated with the rise of Internet usage within states. The estimates imply that the increased sensitivity from cigarette smuggling over the Internet has lessened the revenue generating potential of recent cigarette tax increases substantially. Given the continuing growth of the Internet and of Internet cigarette merchants, the results imply serious problems for state revenue authorities. Details: Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, Ross School of Business, 2007. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper Series: Accessed May 15, 2012 at: http://www.bus.umich.edu/otpr/WP2007-5.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.bus.umich.edu/otpr/WP2007-5.pdf Shelf Number: 125266 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingCigarettes (U.S.)Internet SalesTax AvoidanceTobacco Products |
Author: U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, Republican Staff Title: Tobacco and Terror: How Cigarette Smuggling is Funding our Enemies Abroad Summary: It has been well-reported that terrorist and criminal organizations are conducting illicit business operations within the United States, sending the profits overseas to finance domestic and international terrorist and criminal organizations. Recent law enforcement investigations have revealed that these profits, estimated to be in the millions of dollars annually in the United States along, are generated in part by illicit cigarette trafficking. Historically, the low-risk, high profitability of the illicit cigarette trade served as a gateway for traditional criminal traffickers to move into lucrative and dangerous criminal enterprises such as money laundering, arms dealing, and drug trafficking. Recent law enforcement investigations, however, have directly linked those involved in illicit tobacco trade to infamous terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and al Qaeda. These startling discoveries led U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Peter T. King (R-NY) to launch an investigation of the issue. The following staff report - which will focus on the estimated millions of dollars in illicit tobacco profits being funneled to terrorist groups overseas as well as New York State's refusal to enforce tobacco laws - is the result of numerous interviews with law enforcement official at the local, State, and Federal level, as well as open-source research. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, 2007. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2012 at https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/412462-tobacco-and-terror-how-cigarette-smuggling-is.html Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/412462-tobacco-and-terror-how-cigarette-smuggling-is.html Shelf Number: 126414 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllegal TradeIllicit TobaccoTerrorist FinancingTobacco Smuggling |
Author: Daudelin, Jean Title: Border Integrity, Illicit Tobacco, and Canada's Security Summary: T he small town of Cornwall in eastern Ontario can be considered the contraband capital of Canada, thanks to the high volume of cross-border smuggling and illicit trade in the area. The problem has two sources: the unique local geography combined with practical, legal, and political problems that make it easy to bypass border controls; and the tolerance of Canadian and US law enforcement toward the illicit manufacture and sale of tobacco products on the Mohawk territory that straddles the Canada-US border between Ontario, Quebec, and New York State. Much of the local problem revolves around tobacco; however, significant amounts of illegal drugs, weapons, and humans have been trafficked through the area, all of these accounting for a chain of collateral crime in the surrounding region. The gross value of these illegal practices reaches into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Contraband has national security implications for Canada. Tobacco and its trade generate important economic benefits for the Mohawk community that lives on the Akwesasne (Canada) and St. Regis (US) Mohawk reserves that straddle the border. A substantial part of the production and sale is legal, but the Mohawk generally refuse to apply taxes to their legal tobacco products, and they tolerate the illegal production and sale of tobacco. As a result, a direct attack on those activities may provoke confronta- tions, and possibly even a loss of federal control over the border area. In addition, US authorities are preoccupied with the movement of illegal drugs and humans through Cornwall: any measures they take to stem the flow would hurt Canada economically by inhibiting the free circulation of goods and people across the border. Illicit tobacco accounts for about 15 percent of cigarette sales in Canada, a large proportion of which comes through Cornwall. Attempts to constrict that flow have failed. However, the pressure exerted on the trade has helped keep profits much lower than they could have been. Given the sensitive political situation and the overlapping jurisdictions and legal frameworks, enforcement authorities have been remarkably effective in containing broader security fallout. We found little evidence of extensive smuggling of drugs, weapons, and humans in recent years, and the large-scale involvement of organized crime appears to have been curtailed. Tensions with the Mohawk community have been rare, confrontations largely avoided, and a fluid and effective relationship with the Mohawk police on everything but tobacco on reserve has been built. In summary, federal authorities on both sides of the border appear to tolerate the illicit tobacco trade in favour of containing the broader criminal and security dangers that smuggling and its repression represent. On that count, current efforts have been quite successful. Executive Summary The Seaway International Bridge over the St.Lawrence River connecting the city of Cornwall, Ontario in Canada to the town of Massena, New York in the US. Details: Ottawa, ON: MacDonald-Laurier Institute, 2011. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2013 at: http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/MLIBorder-Integrity-Illicit-Tobacco-Canadas-Security.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/MLIBorder-Integrity-Illicit-Tobacco-Canadas-Security.pdf Shelf Number: 129489 Keywords: Border SecurityCigarette SmugglingIllegal Trade (Canada)Illicit Tobacco |
Author: Howard, Russell D. Title: The Nexus of Extremism and Trafficking: Scourge of the World or So Much Hype? Summary: In a globalized and increasingly interconnected world, the transfer of information, expertise, and relationships are becoming more complex and more commonplace. The interconnectedness of criminal organizations that span not only countries but across regions of the globe is troubling. However, more troubling is the possibility of the linking of transnational criminal organizations with insurgent and terrorist organizations as addressed in this work by Brigadier General (retired) Russ Howard and Ms. Colleen Traughber. The radical ideologies propagating politically motivated violence now have the opportunity to leverage and participate in traditionally criminal enterprises. This melding of form and function provides criminals with new networks and violent extremists with new funding sources and potential smuggling opportunities. General Howard and Ms. Traughber delve into the nexus between violent extremist elements and transnational criminal elements by first clarifying whether a real problem exists, and if so, what is the appropriate role for Special Operations Forces (SOF) in confronting it. The authors bring rigor to the subject matter by dissecting the issue of intention and opportunities of criminal organization and violent extremists. The question is confounded by the authors who note the wide variance in the motivations and opportunities of both different criminal organizations and extremist organizations. What the authors do make clear is that the trafficking of humans, weapons, drugs, and contraband (HWDC) is a natural way for the criminals and extremists to cooperate. To bring the issue into focus, the authors systematically examine case studies dealing with the nexus between specific organizations and HWDC trafficking opportunities. Human trafficking in Europe and the former Soviet Union; weapons trafficking in the Far East, Asia, and South America for money; the narcotics trade by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia; Hezbollah and Kurdistan Workers' Party, as well as contraband smuggling of cigarettes, are all used to examine the extremist/criminal nexus. The connections become clear as the authors discuss each of the HWDC issues within the nexus; what is also clear is that often the nexus is a simple marriage of convenience. General Howard and Ms. Traughber transition from the vignettes to how this nexus will impact SOF and interagency partners. Most importantly, the authors recognized a need for SOF to expand their mission set, and authorities to more appropriately address criminality in support of extremist groups. The authors identify issues for SOF including the traditional delineation between law enforcement activities and military activities. The findings, therefore, make a case that as SOF move into the future and are required to confront the nexus between extremists and criminals, a new definition and some deep thought need to be given to expanding SOF roles and authorities. Details: MacDill AFB, FL: Joint Special Operations University, 2013. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: JSOU Report 13-6: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: https://jsou.socom.mil/JSOU%20Publications/13-6_Howard_Nexus_FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: https://jsou.socom.mil/JSOU%20Publications/13-6_Howard_Nexus_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 131881 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingExtremist GroupsHuman TraffickingSmugglingTerrorismWeapons Smuggling |
Author: International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Title: Tobacco Underground: The Global Trade in Smuggled Cigarettes Summary: Tobacco Underground is a project of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Working with reporters in more than a dozen countries, ICIJ is charting the frontlines of the illicit traffic in cigarettes. During 2000 and 2001, a team of reporters from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists broke a series of landmark stories exposing how leading tobacco companies worked with criminal networks to smuggle cigarettes around the world. Relying on interviews with insiders and thousands of internal industry documents, the unique team - based in six countries - pieced together how smuggling played a key role in big tobacco's strategy to boost sales and increase market share. Those revelations, and others that followed, helped prompt lawsuits and government inquiries, and led to promises of a global crackdown on the illegal trade in tobacco. Details: Washington, DC: International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 2009. 190p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 15, 2014 at: http://cloudfront-9.icij.org/sites/icij/files/tobaccounderground_0.pdf Year: 2009 Country: International URL: http://cloudfront-9.icij.org/sites/icij/files/tobaccounderground_0.pdf Shelf Number: 132375 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllegal TradeOrganized CrimeTax AvoidanceTobacco |
Author: Calderoni, Francesco Title: The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products 5 - Germany Summary: This report is part of the project the Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (henceforth ITTP). The project has been developed by Transcrime after the Round Table on Proofing EU Regulation against the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products hosted by Universite Cattolica of Milan, on 5 May 2011. During the Round Table, participants (researchers and policymakers with experience in the field of the illicit trade in tobacco products) agreed on a research agenda concerning the ITTP (Transcrime 2011b). Items 3 and 6 of the research agenda focused on the need for better analysis of the tobacco market taking account of its dual nature (i.e. legal and illicit) and on how licit and illicit markets vary across different countries and regions. Given these considerations, Transcrime has developed the Factbook on the ITTP, a multi-annual research plan providing detailed analyses of the ITTP and of its relations with the legal market and other socio-economic and political factors in a number of countries around the world. The aim of the Factbook is to provide an innovative instrument able to shed light on the complex mechanisms behind the ITTP in different countries. This report focuses on Germany. Tobacco consumption is undoubtedly a danger for human health, and governments should carefully regulate the tobacco market. Illicit tobacco avoids state regulation and taxation and may jeopardise tobacco control policies. The Factbook will contribute to raising awareness about the global importance of the ITTP and about the strategies available to prevent it. The Factbook has been developed for a wide readership ranging from policymakers, through academics, to interested stakeholders, the intention being to provide a support to develop knowledge-based debates and policies on the ITTP. The information gathered for this report originates from academic literature, grey literature, open sources, questionnaires and interviews with experts and stakeholders. There are few studies on the ITTP in Germany. Furthermore, information of law enforcement action comes mainly from the German Customs, while other law enforcement agencies, although involved in the fight against the ITTP, provide more limited data. In addition to the these issues, the data-gathering phase of the project encountered major difficulties due to the number of sources, institutions and stakeholders involved. The results of the report do not claim to be exhaustive, nor an accurate reflection of criminal practices. They provide an initial assessment of the ITTP in Germany and a starting point for future research. Details: Milan, IT: Transcrime, 2013. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2014 at: http://www.transcrime.it/en/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-5-germany/ Year: 2013 Country: Germany URL: http://www.transcrime.it/en/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-5-germany/ Shelf Number: 132809 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingCigarettesIllegal TradeIllicit TobaccoTobacco |
Author: Calderoni, Francesco Title: The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products 6 - Lithuania Summary: The project has been developed by Transcrime after the Round Table on Proofing EU Regulation against the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products hosted by Universita Cattolica of Milan, on 5 May 2011. During the Round Table, participants (researchers and policymakers with experience in the field of the illicit trade in tobacco products) agreed on a research agenda concerning the ITTP (Transcrime 2011). Items 3 and 6 of the research agenda focused on the need for better analysis of the tobacco market taking account of its dual nature (i.e. legal and illicit) and on how licit and illicit markets vary across different countries and regions. Given these considerations, Transcrime has developed the Factbook on the ITTP, a multi-annual research plan providing detailed analyses of the ITTP and of its relations with the legal market and other socio-economic and political factors in a number of countries around the world. The aim of the Factbook is to provide an innovative instrument able to shed light on the complex mechanisms behind the ITTP in different countries. This report focuses on Lithuania. Details: Milan, IT: Transcrime, 2014. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2014 at: http://www.transcrime.it/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-6-lithuania/ Year: 2014 Country: Lithuania URL: http://www.transcrime.it/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-6-lithuania/ Shelf Number: 132810 Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling Cigarettes Illegal Trade Illicit Tobacco Tobacco |
Author: Calderoni, Francesco Title: The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products 3 - Ireland Summary: This report is part of the project The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (henceforth ITTP). The project has been developed by Transcrime after the Round Table on Proofing EU Regulation against the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products hosted by Universita Cattolica of Milan, on 5 May 2011. During the Round Table, participants (researchers and policymakers with experience in the field of the illicit trade in tobacco products) agreed on a research agenda concerning the ITTP (Transcrime 2011b). Items 3 and 6 of the research agenda focused on the need for better analysis of the tobacco market taking account of its dual nature (i.e. legal and illicit) and on how licit and illicit markets vary across different countries and regions. Given these considerations, Transcrime has developed the Factbook on the ITTP, a multi-annual research plan providing detailed analyses of the ITTP and of its relations with the legal market and other socioeconomic and political factors in a number of countries around the world. The aim of the Factbook is to provide an innovative instrument able to shed light on the complex mechanisms behind the ITTP in different countries. This report focuses on Ireland. Given the close geographical, social, economic and cultural connections, it also focuses, where appropriate, on Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom.1 Tobacco consumption is undoubtedly a danger for human health, and governments should carefully regulate the tobacco market. Illicit tobacco avoids state regulation and taxation and may jeopardize tobacco control policies. The Factbook will contribute to raising awareness about the global importance of the ITTP and about the strategies available to prevent it. The Factbook has been developed for a wide readership ranging from policymakers, through academics, to interested stakeholders, the intention being to provide a support to develop knowledge-based debates and policies on the ITTP. The information gathered for this report originates from academic literature, grey literature, open sources, questionnaires and interviews with experts and stakeholders. While there are some studies on the ITTP in Ireland, the data-gathering phase of the projects encountered major difficulties due to the number of sources, institutions and stakeholders involved. The results of the report do not claim to be exhaustive, nor an accurate reflection of criminal practices. They provide an initial assessment of the ITTP in Ireland and a starting point for future research. Details: Milan, IT: Transcrime, 2013. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2014 at: http://www.transcrime.it/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-3-ireland/ Year: 2013 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.transcrime.it/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-3-ireland/ Shelf Number: 132811 Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling Cigarettes Illegal Trade Illicit Tobacco Tobacco |
Author: Calderoni, Francesco Title: The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products 1 - United Kingdom Summary: This report provides the first country profile of the Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products project. The country profile focuses on the UK, where the illicit trade in tobacco products (hereinafter ITTP) has become an important concern since the 1990s. Although Government action since 2000 has successfully reduced the market share of illicit tobacco, the UK's illegal market is still above the average of other EU Member States. WHAT CAN BE FOUND IN THIS REPORT? This report is organised into three sections: Section one deals with the five drivers of the ITTP: society and economy, the legal market, regulation, the crime environment and enforcement. The drivers are important areas whose structures may positively or negatively impact on the ITTP. To enable comparison with other country profiles, five key indicators have been selected for each driver. Section two focuses on the four components of the ITTP: demand, products, supply, modus operandi and geographical distribution. Section three identifies the key factors of the ITTP in UK and frames the drivers in the components, analysing how different elements of the drivers influence the components of ITTP. Details: Milan, IT: Transcrime, 2013. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2013 at: http://www.transcrime.it/en/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-1/ Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.transcrime.it/en/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-1/ Shelf Number: 132814 Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling Cigarettes Illegal Trade Illicit Tobacco Tobacco |
Author: Calderoni, Francesco Title: The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products 2 - Italy Summary: This report is part of the project The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. It focuses on Italy, where the illicit trade in tobacco seems to have grown in recent years. This fact, combined with the geographical location of the country and the consolidated presence of organised crime, makes Italy an interesting country to explore in terms of ITTP flows in the Mediterranean basin and towards North European countries. WHAT CAN BE FOUND IN THIS REPORT? This report is organised into three chapters: - Chapter one deals with the five drivers of the ITTP: society and economy, the legal market, regulation, the crime environment and enforcement. The drivers are important areas whose structures may positively or negatively impact on the ITTP. To enable comparison with other country profiles, five key indicators have been selected for each driver. The data for the driver indicators come from comparable sources (latest available years). When possible, the report provides the most up-to-date data from national sources. - Chapter two focuses on the four components of the ITTP: demand, supply, products, modus operandi and geographical distribution. - Chapter three identifies the key factors of the ITTP in Italy and frames the drivers in the components, analysing how different elements of the drivers influence the components of the ITTP. Details: Milan, IT: Transcrime, 2013. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2014 at: http://www.transcrime.it/en/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-2-italia/ Year: 2013 Country: Italy URL: http://www.transcrime.it/en/pubblicazioni/the-factbook-on-the-illicit-trade-in-tobacco-products-2-italia/ Shelf Number: 132816 Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling Cigarettes Illegal Trade Illicit Tobacco Tobacco |
Author: Hawken, Angela Title: Unintended Consequences of Cigarette Taxation and Regulation Summary: Tobacco smoking harms health. Taxes and regulations can reduce that harm. But evasion reduces the efficacy of taxes and regulations and creates harms of its own in the form of illicit markets. Enforcement can reduce evasion but creates additional harms, including incarceration and violence. Peter Reuter has pointed out that a flat ban on cigarettes would be likely to generate illicit-market harms similar to the harms of existing illicit drug markets. Taxes and regulations can be thought of as "lesser prohibitions," subject to the same sorts of risks. Minimizing total harm means minimizing the sum of abuse harms and control harms. Tighter regulations and higher taxes on cigarettes risk increasing the size of the existing illicit tobacco markets, which are already substantial. That risk can be somewhat blunted by increasing enforcement effort, but doing so can be costly on several dimensions and might, under plausible assumptions, lead to an increase in violence. Tobacco policymaking should therefore consider illicit markets and the need for enforcement; some of the health benefits of regulation and taxation may be offset by increased illicit-market side effects and enforcement costs. The presence of licit substitutes, such as e-cigarettes, can greatly reduce the size of the problem; the regulation of e-cigarettes should take this effect into account. If enforcement is to be increased to counterbalance tightened controls, positive-feedback dynamics suggest that the enforcement increase should precede, rather than follow, the tightening. Details: Malibu, CA: Pepperdine University - School of Public Policy, 2013. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: School of Public Policy Working Papers, Paper 47: Accessed August 11, 2014 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2354772 Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2354772 Shelf Number: 132993 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingCigarettesIllegal Tobacco (U.S.)Illicit MarketsTax Evasion |
Author: TRANSCRIME Title: European Outlook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products Summary: This study calls for a new direction to be taken in the analysis of, and the fight against, the illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP) in the European Union (EU). It suggests that the focus should be trained more closely on the reduction of criminal opportunities than on crime control policies. This requires a change of mindset: from the conviction of criminals, hoping that this will eventually reduce crime, to the actual reduction of crime through specific prevention strategies. The study adopts two approaches. The first part (Framing the scene: the ITTP in the European Union) takes a "horizontal approach" and analyses selected components of the illicit cigarette market in the EU. The second part (Zooming the scene: the ITTP in the EU Member States and beyond) adopts "a vertical approach" and examines in detail the illicit markets within each EU Member State, as well as the role of selected non-EU European countries in the EU illicit market. Both the horizontal and the vertical approaches underscore the regulatory and law enforcement dimensions that influence the size and type of the ITTP in Europe and beyond. If the illicit cigarette trade is to be reduced, it is necessary to understand the trade-off between regulation of the legal market and the risk of creating criminal opportunities in the illicit market. Currently, policymakers regulate the legal market while leaving the fight against the illicit market to law enforcement. The reduction of criminal opportunities may reduce this trade-off, thus maximizing health and minimizing crime with lower costs. Details: Trento: Transcrime - Universita degli Studi di Trento, 2015. 302p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2015 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/European-Outlook-on-the-ITTP.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/European-Outlook-on-the-ITTP.pdf Shelf Number: 134933 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingCigarettes (Europe)Illicit TradeOrganized CrimesTobacco |
Author: Furtick, Katie Title: The Effect of Cigarette Tax Rates on Illicit Trade: Lessons Learned in Canada Summary: U.S. President Barack Obama is proposing to raise the federal cigarette tax by nearly $1.00 per pack, hoping to bring in additional tax revenue to help fund universal preschool. Likewise, last year legislators in Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Hampshire put forth - and passed - proposals to increase their state's cigarette tax. Such proposals to increase cigarette or tobacco taxes are a politically expedient way to add to state or federal coffers while ostensibly reducing consumption. Since 2000, U.S. states have increased state cigarette tax rates more than 100 times and, generally, smoking prevalence in the U.S. has continued to decline, but is this decline caused by the increase in taxes? If so, what would happen to tobacco consumption if tax rates on cigarettes are cut? An understandably instinctive answer is that consumption would rise, as the price of cigarettes would presumably fall with the tax cut. However, this instinctive answer assumes that smokers purchase all of their cigarettes through legal means where the sale is taxed. In reality, this is not necessarily the case. Taxes have been shown to increase the size of black markets and to cause economic activity to move underground as price-sensitive individuals look for creative ways to evade taxation. Studies have shown that in the tobacco industry, consumers willingness to switch from smoking legally purchased cigarettes and tobacco to contraband products increases with tax hikes. Econometric analysis conducted by Jean-Francois Ouellet, Associate Professor of Marketing at HEC Montreal, and his co-authors Mariachiara Restuccia, Alexandre Tellier and Caroline Lacroix, found that each additional dollar in final applicable taxes raises the propensity to resort to consuming contraband cigarettes by 5.1 percent. This is consistent with the literature pertaining to counterfeit products - that for a product yielding the same benefit, consumers will typically consider a lower-priced option despite the fact that it is illegal. And where there is consumer demand for cheaper products, despite legality, there is profit incentive for players to provide those products on the black market. High cigarette taxes lead to inflated prices, which allow smugglers to profit from bringing cigarettes out of lower-taxed areas and re-selling them into higher-taxed jurisdictions. For instance, in the United States, cigarette prices differ from state to state depending on the states' cigarette tax regimes. Therefore, cigarettes sold in states with low tax rates can be bought and re-sold on the black market in states with high tax rates, yielding a profit for the seller. High taxes also increase the incentive for producing illegal cigarettes completely outside the tax regime. In this case, cigarettes are produced in illegal, unregulated factories and sold on the black market. The sum effect of these factors suggests that it is possible that rather than reducing cigarette consumption, high taxes might shift some consumption from the legal to the black market - that is, to smuggled and/or illegally produced cigarettes. The corollary of this is that tax cuts could drive out illicit trade without increasing overall cigarette consumption. Due to its dramatically varied cigarette taxation rates over the past two decades, Canada has witnessed first-hand the effects that taxes can have on illegal tobacco sales. It therefore provides an excellent case study of the effects of both increasing and decreasing such taxes. This policy brief begins with some background on tobacco taxes in Canadian history. It then analyzes how various changes in the law, both tax increases and cuts, have affected illicit trade, informing policy-makers on likely effects of taxation. Details: Los Angeles: Reason Foundation, 2014. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief 113: Accessed April 7, 2015 at: http://reason.org/files/cigarette_tax_illicit_trade.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://reason.org/files/cigarette_tax_illicit_trade.pdf Shelf Number: 135178 Keywords: Black MarketCigarette SmugglingCigarette TaxesCigarettes (Canada)ContrabandIllegal ProductsTobacco |
Author: Henchman, Joseph Title: Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State Summary: - Large differentials in cigarette taxes across states create incentives for black market sales. - Smuggled cigarettes make up substantial portions of cigarette consumption in many states, and greater than 25 percent of consumption in twelve states. - The highest inbound cigarette smuggling rates are in New York (56.9 percent), Arizona (51.5 percent), New Mexico (48.1 percent), Washington (48 percent), and Wisconsin (34.6 percent). - The highest outbound smuggling rates are in New Hampshire (24.2 percent), Wyoming (22.3 percent), Idaho (21.3 percent), Virginia (21.1 percent), and Delaware (20.9 percent). - Cigarette tax rates increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between 2006 and 2012. Details: Washington, DC: Tax Foundation, 2014. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Fiscal Fact: Accessed May 21, 2015 at: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/FF421.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/FF421.pdf Shelf Number: 135750 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllicit GoodsTaxes |
Author: Drenkard, Scott Title: Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State, 2013 Summary: Key Findings - Large differentials in cigarette taxes across states create incentives for black market sales. - Smuggled cigarettes make up substantial portions of cigarette consumption in many states, and greater than 20 percent of consumption in fifteen states. - The highest inbound cigarette smuggling rates are in New York (58.0 percent), Arizona (49.3 percent), Washington (46.4 percent), New Mexico (46.1 percent), and Rhode Island (32.0 percent). - The highest outbound smuggling rates are in New Hampshire (28.6 percent), Idaho (24.2 percent), Virginia (22.6 percent), Delaware (22.6 percent), and Wyoming (21.0 percent). - Smuggling rates jumped substantially in Illinois after hikes in state and county excise tax rates, from 1.1 percent of consumption in the last edition to 20.9 percent in this edition. - Cigarette tax rates increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between 2006 and 2013. Public policies often have unintended consequences that outweigh their benefits. One consequence of high state cigarette tax rates has been increased smuggling as criminals procure discounted packs from low-tax states to sell in high-tax states. Growing cigarette tax differentials have made cigarette smuggling both a national problem and a lucrative criminal enterprise. Each year, scholars at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a Michigan think tank, use a statistical analysis of available data to estimate smuggling rates for each state.[1] Their most recent report uses 2013 data and finds that smuggling rates generally rise in states after they adopt large cigarette tax increases. Smuggling rates have dropped in some states, however, often where neighboring states have higher cigarette tax rates. Table 1 shows the data for each state, comparing 2013 and 2006 smuggling rates and tax changes. New York is the highest net importer of smuggled cigarettes, totaling 58.0 percent of the total cigarette market in the state. New York also has the highest state cigarette tax ($4.35 per pack), not counting the additional local New York City cigarette tax (an additional $1.50 per pack). Smuggling in New York has risen sharply since 2006 (+62 percent), as has the tax rate (+190 percent). Smuggling in Illinois has also increased dramatically, from 1.1 percent to 20.9 percent since the last data release. This is likely related to the fact that the Illinois state cigarette tax rate was hiked from $0.98 to $1.98 in mid-2012. This increase in smuggling may continue in future data editions, as more recent increases in both the Cook County rate (from $2.00 to $3.00 per pack, effective March 1, 2013) and the Chicago municipal rate (from $0.68 to $1.18, effective January 10, 2014) have brought the combined state-county-municipal rate to $6.16 per pack of cigarettes, the highest combined rate in the country.[2] Other peer-reviewed studies provide support for these findings.[3] Recently, a study in Tobacco Control examined littered packs of cigarettes in five northeast cities, finding that 58.7 percent of packs did not have proper local stamps. The authors estimated 30.5 to 42.1 percent of packs were trafficked.[4] Smuggling takes many forms: counterfeit state tax stamps, counterfeit versions of legitimate brands, hijacked trucks, or officials turning a blind eye.[5] The study's authors, LaFaive and Nesbit, cite examples of a Maryland police officer running illicit cigarettes while on duty, a Virginia man hiring a contract killer over a cigarette smuggling dispute, and prison guards caught smuggling cigarettes into prisons. Policy responses have included banning common carrier delivery of cigarettes,[6] greater law enforcement activity on interstate roads,[7] differential tax rates near low-tax jurisdictions,[8] and cracking down on tribal reservations that sell tax-free cigarettes.[9] However, the underlying problem remains: high cigarette taxes that amount to a "price prohibition" of the product in many U.S. states.[10] Details: Washington, DC: Tax Foundation, 2015. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Fiscal Fact, No. 450: Accessed July 15, 2015 at: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/TaxFoundation_FF450.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/TaxFoundation_FF450.pdf Shelf Number: 136058 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingEconomics and CrimeTaxes |
Author: Calderoni, Francesco Title: France: the factbook on the illicit trade in tobacco products Summary: This report provides the French country profile of the project The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products . In France, the illicit trade in tobacco products is a key issue due to its high penetration in the French tobacco market, reaching 14.7% of total consumption in 2014 (KPMG 2015). Tobacco control policies are at the top of the French policy agenda, and a national action plans against the ITTP was launched in 2011. Moreover, the recent ratification of the Protocol Against Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (WHO FCTC), in November 2015, demonstrates France's commitment to tackling the illicit trade. The growing attention of the French Customs to tobacco smuggling is evidenced by the increasing number of seizures. WHAT CAN BE FOUND IN THIS REPORT? This report is updated at December 2015. It is organised into three chapters: -- Chapter one deals with the five drivers of the ITTP: society and economy, the legal market, regulation, the crime environment and enforcement. The drivers are important areas whose structures may positively or negatively impact on the ITTP. To enable comparison with other country profiles, five key indicators have been selected for each driver. The data for the driver indicators come from comparable sources (latest available years). When possible, the report provides the most up-to-date data from national sources. -- Chapter two focuses on the four components of the ITTP: demand, products, supply, modus operandi and geographical distribution. -- Chapter three identifies the key factors of the ITTP in France and frames the drivers in the components, analysing how different elements of the drivers influence the components of the ITTP. Details: Milan: Transcrime, 2016. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: The Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products 8: Accessed July 12, 2016 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/The-Factbook-on-the-ITTP-France_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: France URL: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/The-Factbook-on-the-ITTP-France_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 139618 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingCigarettesIllicit TradeOrganized CrimeTobacco |
Author: Calderoni, Francesco Title: The Belarusian Hub for Illicit Tobacco Summary: Key hubs are crucial sets of countries on the regional, continental or global map of the illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP). The analysis of key hubs instead of single countries enables a more comprehensive understanding of the factors determining transnational illicit flows and a more effective identification of the strategies needed to fight and prevent the ITTP. The following elements often characterise key hubs: - medium to high levels of the ITTP in the hub, - significant price differentials of tobacco products across the hub, - extensive engagement of local manufacturers in the ITTP and - substantial flows of illicit tobacco to, within or from the hub to other countries. This report focuses on the Belarusian hub for illicit cigarettes. Belarus is the center of the hub because it is a source for illegal tobacco products destined to the EU. The surrounding countries are included for different reasons. Russia and Ukraine used to play a significant role in the ITTP flows and still remain important sources of illicit products. Other countries within the hub, such as Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, are both destination and transit countries of the Belarusian illicit tobacco flows. The report takes the name of the center of the hub. Details: Milan: Transcrime, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 12, 2016 at: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/The-Belarusian-Hub-for-Illicit-Tobacco.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Belarus URL: http://www.transcrime.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/The-Belarusian-Hub-for-Illicit-Tobacco.pdf Shelf Number: 139622 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingCigarettesIllicit TradeOrganized CrimeTobacco |
Author: Leuprecht, Christian Title: Smoking Gun: Strategic Containment of Contraband Tobacco and Cigarette Trafficking in Canada Summary: anadians think of contraband tobacco and cigarettes as a nuisance at best, or a tax-revenue problem at worst, not in terms of organized crime or terrorism. This authoritative study of the size, scope, and operations of contraband tobacco and cigarettes in Canada reveals this to be a false dichotomy. Canadian law enforcement seizures of contraband tobacco routinely include high-powered weapons, hard and designer drugs, stolen vehicles and other merchandise, and lots of cash. Indeed the week this report was released, police in Quebec carried out 70 raids and made 60 arrests against an international criminal network involved in drug and contraband tobacco trafficking, and money laundering, in the largest anti-contraband operation to date. Contraband tobacco is lucrative, it is produced and trafficked systematically alongside other illicit goods, and Canadian crime syndicates are heavily invested in its proceeds. Globally, money from contraband tobacco and cigarettes is a major source of revenue for the likes of ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Hezbollah, whose contraband fundraising activities in North America have been subject to indictments. Producers and traffickers of contraband prey on the most vulnerable population groups in Canadian society. They brazenly flaunt restrictions on procurement, manufacturing, packaging, promotion, and sale of tobacco and cigarettes. Their ranks count hardened Mafioso and notorious criminal bikers who exploit Native communities. Tobacco farmers divert crops to the illicit market; some cooperate to reap higher profits, some uncooperative ones are coerced or have their tobacco stolen. Compared to illicit drugs, materials and manufacture are readily accessible, and the market for contraband tobacco and cigarettes is huge, highly profitable and easy to reach. The loss factor is minimal because chances of detection are small, penalties lenient (if any are imposed at all), and social stigma less than for alternative illicit activities. Canada's contraband market in tobacco and cigarettes is estimated at more than $1.3 billion, which rivals the narcotics market. In Ontario alone, the illicit cigarette market is roughly $500 million annually and forgone tax revenue between $1.6 billion and $3 billion. Enforcement is hampered by entangled jurisdictional issues, collective action problems within and across jurisdictions, scarce enforcement resources, legislative gaps, and, it seems, lack of a comprehensive plan, let alone strategy. There has been some institutional learning, and worthwhile innovations at different jurisdictional levels - federal, provincial, and First Nations. This study explores and compares some of these innovations to forge a comprehensive approach to contraband tobacco and cigarettes. Although law enforcement has a role to play, like so much other criminal activity, we are clearly not going to arrest our way out of this problem. Ultimately, a comprehensive strategy needs to change the incentive structures in place on both the demand and supply sides, optimize legislative and regulatory frameworks, and improve inter-agency and inter-jurisdictional coordination. Key recommendations include: Revenue sharing with First Nations The collection and administration of an excise tax by First Nations governments promises a sustained stream of revenue for community development and infrastructure projects and a significant incentive to reduce tax evasion in cigarette sales to non-Natives. In return for greater fiscal autonomy, sales to ineligible customers would be curbed by reducing the quota allocation to First Nations. Halting diversion from legitimate growers in Ontario Ontario is the only Canadian jurisdiction where tobacco is grown. Although the transition from the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers' Marketing Board to the Ontario Ministry of Finance has tightened monitoring and enforcement of raw leaf tobacco, three changes will hamper the ability to investigate and interrupt diversion of tobacco to illicit markets: once harvested, growers no longer need to identify the source and the final destination of raw leaf; labelling information that tracks baled raw leaf tobacco is no longer required; and reporting frequency has been loosened from weekly to quarterly. Criminalizing the unlicensed growth, sale, purchase, and/or transport of raw leaf would acknowledge the serious consequences of diverted raw leaf and empower police to reinforce the licensing regime. Federal coordination and a Tobacco Ombudsman C-10 opens the opportunity for the federal government to facilitate coordination of a unified taxation structure for tobacco and cigarettes for all Canadian peoples, across provinces and reserves. This authority could be administered and enforced by a Canadian Tobacco Ombudsman under the aegis of the Minister of Public Safety. An ombudsman could improve coordination and communication among law enforcement agencies and between law enforcement and other regulatory bodies. Enforcement: Lessons learned Ontario recently announced a Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Team that stands to draw lessons from Quebec, where Project ACCES has proven quite successful over more than a decade. Moreover, it and its outcomes come at no additional cost to government. In fact, it more than pays for itself: by reaping fines and seizures, and realizing a growing tax base due to deterring contraband without a change in smoking rates, the project has seen a return of as much as 16 times the investment. Public awareness Consumers of contraband tobacco are blissfully unaware of their habit's connection with organized crime; greater awareness might stem consumption, especially if on-reserve manufacturers associated with organized crime are clearly distinguished from those who are not. Contraband has a more pervasive impact on the public safety of Canada, Canadians, and Canadian interests than terrorism has ever had. If Canadians only knew, they would demand that government act accordingly. Now they do. It is time to act to ensure the benefits of taxation accrue to all citizens instead of organized criminals and terrorists. Details: Ottawa, ONT: Macdonald-Laurier Institute, 2016. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2016 at: http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/MLILeuprechtContrabandPaper-03-16-WebReady.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Canada URL: http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/MLILeuprechtContrabandPaper-03-16-WebReady.pdf Shelf Number: 145611 Keywords: Cigarette Smuggling CigarettesContraband GoodsContraband TobaccoIllegal CigarettesIllegal TobaccoOrganized CrimeTax Evasion |
Author: Johnston, Nick Title: Cigarette Smuggling: Poland to Sweden Summary: Cigarette smuggling is a multibillion dollar industry which directly feeds off government revenue. Within the European Union (EU) there are losses of around 11.3 billion euro in tax revenue each year as a result of this criminal activity. The unique socioeconomic environment of the EU coupled with the open borders policy provides smugglers with opportunities to make incredible profits. The demand for cheap tobacco products across Europe is high so the illicit production industry is a viable market for many to capitalize on. Attempts to curtail the trade are weighed down by ineffective legislation and limited resources. The limited legal repercussions and immense profit margins make the cigarette smuggling an incredibly attractive enterprise. Smugglers to convey their supply from Poland, Belarus and the Baltic states up to Sweden and Norway where they can make profit margins of up to 1000%. The methods used to transport the contraband can be as intuitive as they are audacious. Ranging from flying in small aircraft into abandoned Swedish airports to smuggling in thousands of cigarettes in a concrete segment of a bridge awaiting construction. This report explores the extent of the illegal tobacco trade within the EU, detailing how government institutions are affected. There is a special focus on cigarette trends in Poland, which is the prevailing origin of tobacco products within the EU. Through uncovering the plights of the system which allows for illicit trade to flow through, the report provides recommendations for all levels of law enforcement, from local to international, on addressing the growing issue. Details: Stockholm: SWE: Institute for Security & Development Policy, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 22, 2016 at: http://isdp.eu/content/uploads/2016/10/Cigarette-Smuggling-Report-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://isdp.eu/content/uploads/2016/10/Cigarette-Smuggling-Report-2016.pdf Shelf Number: 147312 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingCigarettesIllegal TradeOrganized Crime |
Author: Thought Arbitrage Research Institute Title: Invisible Enemy: A Threat to our National Interests Summary: Smuggling is defined as "the clandestine import of goods from one jurisdiction to another." According to the Customs Act, 1962 the term "smuggling" has vast connotations and means "any act or omission which will render such goods liable for confiscation under Sections 111 or 113 of the said Act." This report focuses on smuggling of legal goods (excluding prohibited goods) into Indian borders and which can be confiscated under the Customs Act 1962. Smuggling of Goods/ Products: Terms and Interpretations Outright smuggling as defined by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is "the secret movement of goods across national borders to avoid customs duties or import or export restrictions." Non-declaration (where no product is declared at port of entry) as well as not being in possession of any legal import documentation can also be considered as outright smuggling. On the other hand, smuggling could take place through legal channels of trade by various means to evade customs duties and other taxes applicable on such goods and products. This is referred to as Technical smuggling and such goods are liable for confiscation under section 111 of the Customs Act 1962. Ways and means of technical smuggling may classified into four categories based on seizure data of DRI: • Undervaluation • Mis-declaration • Misuse of End Use and Other Notifications • Other Means Smuggling and Its Impact on the Country The effects of smuggling are numerous and economically significant. Smuggling is a serious problem and its impacts are far reaching, affecting various stakeholders including Government, domestic industries and citizens of the country. Invisible Enemy - A Threat to our National Interests: Extent Causes and Remedies. which estimates the extent of smuggling of the top five key goods into India, namely: • Gold • Machinery and Parts • Cigarettes • Fabrics, Silk and Yarn • Electronic Items This report further attempts to highlight the key challenges posed by smuggling and the possible solutions needed to make compliance and processes more robust which will reduce the threat of smuggling. Details: New Delhi: FICCI Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying Economy (CASCADE), 2016. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2017 at: http://ficci.in/spdocument/20807/final-Smuggling-report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: India URL: http://ficci.in/spdocument/20807/final-Smuggling-report.pdf Shelf Number: 140764 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingSmuggling of Goods |
Author: Lemboe, Craig Title: Cigarette Taxes and Smuggling in South Africa: Causes and Consequences Summary: The main instrument within the broader framework of tobacco control in South Africa has been the more aggressive use of tobacco taxes which since 1999/2000 have increased from 0.12 cents per cigarette to 0.38c in 2009/10. The primary goal of these policies is to reduce cigarette consumption and the attendant negative externality. National Treasury (NT) data seem to suggest that these initiatives and higher taxes in particular have been effective in reducing cigarette consumption. However, the official (NT) data pay little attention to the illegal cigarette market which in South Africa has long been assumed to be only a fraction of total cigarette consumption. Comparing an independent consumption survey with the NT data we find that the level of cigarette smuggling in South Africa is in fact significant, constituting between 40% and 50% of the total market, and that cigarette tax hikes have to a large extent contributed to its continued existence and growth by creating a financial incentive to smuggle. Furthermore, the well-established informal sector in South Africa - which developed under Apartheid rule and is characterised by strong networks with other African countries - implies that there is a greater ability and likelihood of consumers switching from consuming legal cigarettes to consuming illegal cigarettes following a tax-induced price increase. There is also much evidence indicating that illegal cigarettes are of inferior quality which, combined with the tax induced shift to smuggled cigarettes, suggests that cigarette tax hikes could have the perverse effect of raising rather than lowering the overall negative externality. Details: Stellenbosch, South Africa: Bureau for Economic Research, University of Stellenbosch, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource:: Stellenbosch Economic Working Papers: 9/12: Accessed February 10, 2017 at: Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: Shelf Number: 147770 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllegal CigarettesIllegal marketsTaxes |
Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department D Budgetary Affairs Title: Proceedings of the Workshop on Cigarette Smuggling Summary: This report analyses the relationship between EU policy and the illicit trade in tobacco products. We consider three EU policies: (1) the EC Strategy and the Action Plan to tackle the illicit trade in tobacco products, (2) the revised Tobacco Products Directive, and (3) the Agreements between the European Community, individual Member States and the four major tobacco companies. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2014. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/workshop/join/2014/490681/IPOL-JOIN_AT(2014)490681_EN.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/workshop/join/2014/490681/IPOL-JOIN_AT(2014)490681_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 145019 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllicit TradeIllicit Trade in TobaccoTobacco Industry |