TobaccoReporter logo

Tag: illicit cigarettes

  • Ireland Seizes €8.5 Million Worth of Illegal Cigarettes

    Ireland Seizes €8.5 Million Worth of Illegal Cigarettes

    Irish authorities seized about 9 million illegal cigarettes at Dublin Port during an inspection of a container arriving from Rotterdam. Officers from Revenue Irish Tax and Customs discovered the cigarettes, branded “Richmond,” concealed in a shipment declared as food after conducting routine risk profiling, assisted by a detector dog and a mobile X-ray scanner.

    The cigarettes have an estimated retail value of more than €8.5 million and represent a potential loss to the Irish Exchequer of over €6.6 million in unpaid taxes. Authorities said the seizure forms part of ongoing efforts to combat the illegal tobacco trade and the wider shadow economy, with investigations continuing.

  • Philippines Losing $425M to Illicits

    Philippines Losing $425M to Illicits

    The Philippines is losing an estimated P25 billion ($425 million) annually in cigarette excise taxes due to the illicit tobacco trade, according to a policy brief by the Center for Market Education (CME). The report, which compares seven ASEAN economies, found that smuggled cigarettes account for about 16% of the domestic market, with some estimates reaching as high as 21%. CME CEO Carmelito Ferlito said the foregone revenue represents a significant missed opportunity to fund public services.

    The brief noted that the lost money is equivalent to 12.5% of the national health budget and 3.6% of the education budget, funds that could otherwise support hospitals, schools, and climate programs. While tobacco excise collections surged after major reforms in 2012, revenues peaked in 2021 and have declined since, raising concerns that rates may have exceeded the revenue-maximizing point on the Laffer Curve. CME urged policymakers to align tax policy with stronger enforcement, stressing that taxation is effective only when compliance is enforceable and credible.

  • Dutch Customs Seize 12.5M Illegal Cigarettes in Two Weeks

    Dutch Customs Seize 12.5M Illegal Cigarettes in Two Weeks

    Dutch investigators from the Fiscale Inlichtingen- en Opsporingsdienst seized 12.5 million illegal cigarettes in three separate operations over the past two weeks, preventing an estimated €4.2 million in lost excise revenue, according to the Ministry of Finance. The first haul, more than 3.5 million cigarettes, was uncovered on Jan. 28 in Rotterdam hidden inside a container of plastic crates, while a second seizure of 6.5 million cigarettes followed a customs check at Rotterdam port, where cartons were concealed within wooden sauna crates. A further 2.5 million cigarettes were found in raids at premises in Vlijmen and a warehouse in Den Bosch, with authorities stating the tobacco was intended for illegal sale in the Netherlands. One suspect has been arrested, and further arrests have not been ruled out.

  • Cigarette Balloons Cause Poland to Summon Belarus Envoy

    Cigarette Balloons Cause Poland to Summon Belarus Envoy

    Poland has summoned Belarus’s charge d’affaires after dozens of meteorological balloons carrying untaxed cigarettes crossed into Polish airspace from Belarus, in what authorities described as mass smuggling attempts. The Polish Foreign Ministry said border guards and police recovered balloon debris and cigarette shipments—some carrying up to 1,500 packs—in several eastern regions, including near the Belarus border and in Białystok. Warsaw warned Minsk that it does not consent to such actions and said further incidents would have consequences, while questioning Belarus’s claim of having no knowledge of the operations. Polish media reported around 150 such balloon incidents to date.

  • Philippines Seizes $1.9M in Counterfeit Cigarettes

    Philippines Seizes $1.9M in Counterfeit Cigarettes

    The Philippine Bureau of Customs seized an estimated P105.58 million ($1.9 million) worth of illicit cigarettes in Bataan, uncovering more than 1,000 master cases transported in 12 vehicles and traced to shipments originating from China, Vietnam, and South Korea. Authorities said the cigarettes—bearing brands including Modern, RGD, Nise Baisha, and President—were intended for distribution in northern and central Luzon, underscoring ongoing enforcement challenges as Customs intensifies its anti-smuggling campaign amid revenue shortfalls and a higher 2026 collection target.

  • Hong Kong Customs Seizes $3M in Untaxed Cigs

    Hong Kong Customs Seizes $3M in Untaxed Cigs

    Hong Kong Customs seized about seven million untaxed cigarettes valued at HK$31.5 million ($4.1 million), with an estimated duty potential of HK$23 million ($3 million), during a raid on an industrial building in Fo Tan on December 30. A 45-year-old local man was arrested after officers spotted him moving cartons from a unit late at night, discovering about 600,000 cigarettes on him and another 6.4 million inside the premises.

    Customs said the roughly 1,000-square-foot warehouse, formed by merging two units, contained large quantities of cigarettes and packaging materials, indicating plans to repackage and smuggle the products to overseas markets with higher tobacco taxes. Some illicit brands appeared to be stockpiled for the Christmas and New Year period. Authorities said investigations into the source and distribution network are ongoing, and further arrests are possible.

  • Modernization and Enforcement Needed for Pakistan’s Illicit Crisis

    Modernization and Enforcement Needed for Pakistan’s Illicit Crisis

    Pakistan’s tobacco industry is facing mounting pressure as illicit cigarettes tighten their grip on the market, eroding government revenue and undermining the legitimate sector, according to experts. Macroeconomic analyst Osama Siddiqui said the country needs a robust track-and-trace system and stronger coordination among enforcement and revenue authorities to monitor production, distribution, and retail.

    “Without a decisive crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade, Pakistan’s legal industry will continue to suffer while the black market thrives unchecked,” Siddiqui said. “A modernized supply chain and sustained enforcement are the only ways to reclaim lost revenue and restore market fairness.”

    Recent estimates indicate that illicit cigarettes now make up more than half of total sales, costing the national exchequer over Rs 415 billion ($1.5 billion) annually. The smuggled, untaxed, and/or products sold below the legal minimum price continue to weaken the formal industry’s competitiveness while fueling organized black-market networks, experts say.

  • Cigarette-Smuggling Balloons Shut Down Lithuanian Airport

    Cigarette-Smuggling Balloons Shut Down Lithuanian Airport

    Balloons carrying thousands of packs of illicit cigarettes shut down the Vilnius Airport in Lithuania when they floated into the country’s airspace.

    According to the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC), 25 meteorological balloons were detected entering the country from Belarus, and two ended up directly over the airport.

    The “airspace violations” follow a number of drone incursions suspected of being linked to Russia disrupting air traffic, according to the BBC. Russia has denied any involvement.

    “Balloons with contraband cargo—cigarettes from Belarus—are nothing new in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland,” said a NCMC spokesperson. This year, 544 balloons have been recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus, according to the spokesperson. Last year, 966 balloons were recorded.

    “Meteorological balloons are a rudimentary tool used by smugglers—they are cheaper than drones for transporting cigarettes from Belarus,” the spokesperson said. “Our services’ aim is to seize the largest possible quantities of contraband and to detain organizers and perpetrators so that this activity is unprofitable and does not pose a risk to civil aviation.”

  • Illicit Cigarettes Still Increasing in Philippines

    Illicit Cigarettes Still Increasing in Philippines

    Illicit cigarettes in the Philippines are still on the rise, according to PhilStar. The latest market survey shows that illicit cigarettes can be bought for PHP3 to PHP4 ($0.05 to $0.06) per stick. The lowest priced legal brand is PHP7 per stick.

    One of every five cigarettes sold comes from an illegal source. Illicit cigarette trade was 7.4 percent of total volumes in 2021, and in 2025, illicit cigarette trade is at 20.9 percent. Smoking prevalence has also increased from 18.5 percent of adults in 2021 to 23.2 percent in 2025. Youth smoking has doubled from 2.3 percent to 4.8 percent.

    The Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue estimates that the country loses at least PHP50 billion annually from smuggling and illegal manufacturing.

    Legal cigarette production dropped from 62.6 billion sticks in 2021 to 39.1 billion in 2025.

    According to PhilStar, illicit cigarettes contain harmful chemicals like cadmium, lead, and contaminants like insect parts and human waste. Counterfeit “tuklaw” cigarettes contain synthetic cannabinoids, which have led to severe health issues.

  • Police Bust Illegal E-Cigarette Factory in Bangkok

    Police Bust Illegal E-Cigarette Factory in Bangkok

    Thai police raided an illegal e-cigarette factory in Bangkok’s Bang Khunthian district, arresting two Chinese managers and seizing around 20,000 vaping products along with production equipment. The Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) acted on a tip that the facility, rented by Chinese investors, was being used to manufacture and store vaping devices and liquids, which are banned under Thai law.

    Two Chinese nationals were taken into custody and charged with colluding in the production and sale of illegal e-cigarettes. Authorities also detained 11 Myanmar nationals working at the warehouse, identified as illegal migrants. The suspects and seized materials have been handed over to ECD investigators for further legal action.