Illegal cigarette trading remains a major challenge in Suriname, with government revenue losses estimated at $40 million per year, according to a presentation to the parliamentary committee overseeing the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The presentation linked the expansion of smuggling to tax increases introduced in 2006, noting that illicit trade persists despite periods of improvement. Smugglers are moving both genuine cigarettes and counterfeit “cheap whites” into the country.
Authorities also highlighted links between cigarette smuggling and other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, weapons trading, and money laundering. Free-trade zones remain an important enforcement challenge, with importers and traders continually developing new methods to evade detection.
The presentation called for greater coordination among finance, trade, security and public-health authorities to address the illicit market and protect government revenues.