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Tag: smuggling

  • Sri Lanka’s Beedi Industry Under Attack

    Sri Lanka’s Beedi Industry Under Attack

    Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary Committee on Ways and Means called for stronger action to curb the illegal import of beedi leaves, warning that smuggling is eroding government tax revenue and undermining the legal beedi industry. During a recent meeting chaired by MP Wijesiri Basnayake, officials said large quantities of leaves are being brought in by sea to avoid import duties, despite existing enforcement efforts. The committee urged measures to stop industry participants from using illicit supplies and directed Finance Ministry officials to develop a mechanism to safeguard tax collection.

    Officials from the government, police, and navy discussed enforcement options. Lawmakers stressed the need to balance revenue protection with safeguarding employment in the beedi sector while tightening controls on illicit imports.

  • Canadian Customs Seizes $3.2M Illicit Vapes at U.S. Border

    Canadian Customs Seizes $3.2M Illicit Vapes at U.S. Border

    The Canada Border Services Agency said officers at the Point Edward port of entry in Sarnia, Ontario, seized over CAD 4.5 million ($3.2 million) in illegal tobacco and nicotine vapes over a seven-day period. The contraband was reportedly coming across from Port Huron, Michigan, in the United States. The CBSA emphasized that the seizures are part of ongoing measures to prevent illicit products from entering Canada and combat criminal networks, though no additional details were provided.

  • Philippines Bust Seizes $23M in Illicit Vape Products

    Philippines Bust Seizes $23M in Illicit Vape Products

    The Philippines Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Customs seized P1.4 billion ($23.3 million) worth of illegal vaporized nicotine products in a warehouse raid in San Rafael Village, Navotas City, confiscating over 3.2 million vape devices and pods along with branded promotional items. The shipments lacked Philippine Standard Licenses and Import Commodity Clearance, violating Republic Act 11900 and related Customs regulations, and are now subject to forfeiture and condemnation proceedings to prevent reentry into the market. Authorities warned that violators may face substantial fines, imprisonment, revocation of licenses, and recall of noncompliant products.

  • Luxembourg One of the Gateways China Uses to Flood EU With E-Cigs

    Luxembourg One of the Gateways China Uses to Flood EU With E-Cigs

    A new study by the Fraunhofer Institute calls Luxembourg one of four “gateway countries” that China uses to saturate the grey and black markets of Europe with e-cigarettes, along with Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Uwe Veres-Homm, head of risk and location analysis at Fraunhofer IIS, said more than 90% of e-cigarettes in the EU originate from China’s “global epicenter,” Shenzhen, where regulations for exported products are much more lenient than those staying in China. Regulatory import loopholes allow products that are legal, illegal, and/or improperly taxed and labeled to flood together, and once processed by customs in Luxembourg, they are considered EU goods and can enter the market elsewhere, he said.

    The study found that half of the e-cigarettes consumed in Luxembourg come from “irregular sources,” and said Luxembourg is attractive not only because of its strategic location, but also because it has low e-liquid taxes (€0.10/ml).

    The study concluded that banning e-cigarettes would not eliminate the grey and black markets and suggested harmonized EU standards and involving Chinese manufacturers to comply with EU laws as the products are being made.

  • Philippines Calling on Locals to Curb Tobacco Smuggling

    Philippines Calling on Locals to Curb Tobacco Smuggling

    The Philippines’ National Tobacco Administration called on local government units to intensify enforcement against cigarette smuggling, which the Bureau of Internal Revenue estimates is costing the country between P40 billion and P52 billion ($680–$884 million) annually. The push follows recent seizures, including a March 17 operation in Maguindanao del Norte that recovered P6.46 million ($110,000) worth of illicit cigarettes, underscoring the scale of the problem.

    NTA Administrator Belinda S. Sanchez warned that smuggling threatens public health, government revenue, and the livelihoods of around 2.2 million farmers and workers. Authorities, including the Philippine National Police, are ramping up joint operations, with nearly P3 billion ($51 million) in illicit products seized in late 2025, while reminding retailers that violations under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act of 2024 can carry life imprisonment and heavy fines.

  • Facing $900M Tax Loss, Thailand Cracking Down on Illicit Tobacco

    Facing $900M Tax Loss, Thailand Cracking Down on Illicit Tobacco

    Thailand is intensifying its crackdown on illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes as authorities seek to curb revenue losses and protect public health. The Customs Department reported seizing over 27.3 million illegal cigarettes and 205,000 e-cigarettes worth more than 169 million baht ($5.1 million) in recent operations, highlighting the scale of the underground market. Officials estimate that illicit cigarettes account for around 25% of national consumption, resulting in annual tax losses exceeding 30 billion baht ($900 million), while also distorting competition for legitimate businesses and posing broader security and health risks.

    Authorities say smuggling networks continue to evolve, with Thailand acting as a key transit hub due to its extensive logistics infrastructure, and the southern border identified as a major entry point for illegal cigarettes. In response, enforcement efforts are shifting toward targeted intelligence-led operations, leveraging AI and data analytics to improve detection, alongside stricter penalties—including proposed per-unit fines for e-cigarettes—to close regulatory loopholes. The government aims to dismantle distribution networks, including online channels, while accelerating the destruction of seized products and reinforcing multi-agency cooperation to restore market integrity and safeguard tax revenues.

  • Philippines Seizes $4M in Undeclared Cigarettes

    Philippines Seizes $4M in Undeclared Cigarettes

    Philippine authorities have seized 637 cases of undeclared cigarettes valued at about P235 million ($4 million) at the Port of Batangas, according to the Bureau of Customs. The shipment, which arrived aboard a vessel from the United Arab Emirates, reportedly contained MAC-branded cigarettes but was not listed in the bill of lading, inward foreign manifest, or discharge list, prompting a non-intrusive inspection and subsequent physical examination.

    Officials said the cigarettes were not supported by proper import documents and that the listed consignee was not authorized to import tobacco products, suggesting an attempt to smuggle regulated goods into the country. The case is being investigated under the provisions of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

  • 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.

  • Bulgarians Seize 6M Cigarettes in Produce Truck

    Bulgarians Seize 6M Cigarettes in Produce Truck

    Bulgarian customs authorities seized more than 6.1 million smuggled cigarettes hidden in a refrigerated truck carrying citrus and vegetables from Greece to Poland. The shipment, consisting of three popular brands without Bulgarian excise stamps, had a market value of about €1.15 million, with unpaid excise duties totaling €691,560. The Ukrainian driver was arrested, and an investigation is ongoing.

  • Hong Kong Police Seize 2.2M Smuggled Cigarettes

    Hong Kong Police Seize 2.2M Smuggled Cigarettes

    Hong Kong police and customs officers seized more than HK$10.2 million ($1.3 million) worth of suspected illicit cigarettes during a joint Lunar New Year marine operation on Feb. 21. Acting on suspicious activity in Sai Kung and Lantau Island, officers intercepted two unlit speedboats allegedly transferring contraband to shore, recovering over 2.2 million cigarettes with an estimated duty value of HK$7.4 million. Suspects fled toward mainland waters, while a truck linked to one case was impounded as the investigation continues.