Monthly Archives: April 2011

Only 5% of Contraband Cigarettes Seized

Posted on April 28, 2011
Editors Note: From CRE Brazil
Federal Revenue Specialists estimate that less than 5% of contraband cigarettes to Brazil are seized. Just to have an idea of the amount of illegal products that come into the country, in 2009 the government destroyed 78 million packs. And boxes of cigarettes represent 40% of the total number of contraband articles collected by inspectors.

Specialists estimate that cigarette smuggling is connected to drug trafficking. Many times, on the same road or bus coming from Paraguay, police find cigarette boxes and tablets of marijuana. “It’s organized crime. The group has a logistic distribution throughout the country’s roads and spreads this product out there,” said the Director of the Brazilian Association to Combat Counterfeiting (ABCF), Fernando Ramazzini, in an interview with the weekly magazine, IstoÉ.
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Illegal tobacco trade ‘declining’

Posted on April 27, 2011

From: Irish Examiner

New figures from the tobacco industry show the illegal tobacco trade in Ireland is on the decline.

A study published today by tobacco manufacturers JTI Ireland Ltd shows that last year approximately 24% of all tobacco consumed in Ireland evaded Irish excise duty.

The figure represents a 27% decrease from the number of illegal cigarettes consumed in 2009.

The decline is being attributed to the Government’s decision not to increase excise duty on tobacco in two consecutive budgets.

Meanwhile separate data published by the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers Advisory Committee (ITMAC) revealed that the north-east of the country topped the figures of illegal cigarette seizures in 2010.

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Lab results shed light on shocking contents of fake fags

Posted on April 26, 2011

From: The Star Mobile

KUALA LUMPUR: Hair, insect eggs, dead flies, pieces of wood, paper and even human faeces have been found in illegal cigarettes.

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Illicit cigarettes an ‘unhealthy cocktail’

Posted on April 26, 2011

From: The Evening Telegraph

Published on Tuesday 26 April 2011 04:30

SMOKERS are being warned that smuggled cigarettes could contain a “seriously unhealthy” cocktail of chemicals – much worse than a normal cigarette.

Illicit cigarettes, thousands of which have been unearthed by customs officers on the shelves of shops in Peterborough, are hard to spot as they are “expertly packaged” by criminals.

A spokeswoman for HM Revenue and Customs said: “Smuggled and fake cigarettes can often seem like an attractive offer.

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Local man faces charges for counterfeit tax stamp cigarettes

Posted on April 26, 2011

From: NorthJersey.com

BY KRISTIE CATTAFI

Community News (Garfield Edition)
STAFF WRITER
  
A Garfield man was arrested for distribution of counterfeit New Jersey tax stamped cigarettes and possession of counterfeit New Jersey tax stamped cigarettes on March 30.
  
Piotr Ligmanowski, 35, was arrested as a result of a two-month long investigation by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office’s White Collar Crime Unit under the direction of Chief Steven Cucciniello, the Garfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kevin Amos, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge Matthew Horace, and the New Jersey Department of Treasury Division of Taxation Office of Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge Charles Giblin.
  
Members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, White Collar Crime Unit developed information regarding the illegal sale of cigarettes bearing a counterfeit State of New Jersey tax stamp. Ligmanowski was found in possession of 59 cartons of cigarettes bearing a counterfeit New Jersey tax stamp. As a result a search warrant was executed at his residence located on Chestnut Street in Garfield, resulting in numerous other cartons from various domestic states being seized as well as a sum of money.
  
Ligmanowski was taken into custody in a parking lot at a retail store located in Garfield. The sale of these counterfeit cigarettes represents a loss in tax revenue for the State of New Jersey.
  
Ligmanowski was charged with distribution of counterfeit New Jersey tax stamped cigarettes, possession of counterfeit New Jersey tax stamped cigarettes, both crimes of the third degree. Ligmanowski was arrested and sent to Bergen County jail with bail set at $50,000 with no 10-percent option.
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