Monthly Archives: May 2016

From: European Commission

TITLE OF THE INITIATIVE: Report on the progress of the implementation of the 2013 Strategy to fight cigarette smuggling and other forms of illicit trade in tobacco products (COM(2013)324 final) and its Action Plan

LIKELY TYPE OF INITIATIVE: Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council

INDICATIVE PLANNING: http://ec.europa.eu/atwork/key-documents/index_en.htm

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://ec.europa.eu/anti-fraud//home_en

This indicative roadmap is provided for information purposes only and can be subject to change. It does not prejudge the final decision of the Commission on whether this initiative will be pursued or on its final content and structure.

From: Poughkeepsie Journal

John W. Barry

A 29-year-old employee of a Poughkeepsie deli faces felony charges following an investigation into illegal tobacco trafficking and state tax violations by the state Department of Taxation and Finance.

Kheireddine Mazouzi of Poughkeepsie has been charged with possession of untaxed cigarettes, criminal tax fraud and possession of counterfeit tax stamps, all felonies, according to the state Department of Taxation and Finance.

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From: Mid-Hudson Valley Patch

People in Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Brooklyn and Queens were charged.

Mid Hudson Valley, NY

By Lanning Taliaferro (Patch Staff)

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance said Friday that its Cigarette Strike Force has seized 5,305 cartons of contraband cigarettes, 2,646 contraband cigars, and 23,092 counterfeit cigarette tax stamps since the beginning of May.

Tax investigators, in their ongoing campaign against illegal tobacco trafficking and state tax violations, made arrests and seizures in Queens, Brooklyn, Poughkeepsie, and Newburgh.

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From: Korea Times

By Lee Hyo-sik

The World Health Organization (WHO) is trying to conceal the Australian government’s failure to reduce smoking in the nation through uniform packaging, tobacco companies argued Tuesday.

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“Governments around the world would be well-advised to cut through the noise the WHO is trying to drum up today. Instead, policymakers should look at the official data,” the vice president said. “The ban on cigarette brands in Australia has deprived legitimate companies of their rights, and has handed a gift to the criminals who traffic in illegal and counterfeit cigarettes. But as a public health measure, plain packaging has failed.”

Editor’s Note: Translation via Google, the original French text is here.

From: FM 103,3 | La radio allumée

Auteur : Maryse Garant

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According to the spokesman of the National Coalition against cigarette smuggling, Michel Rouillard, the police department of the agglomeration of Longueuil before this illegal product at least once a week.

Furthermore, he states that in 85% of the seizures, the police also found illegal drugs such as methamphetamine.