From: Costa Rican Times
Costa Rica News – We are just three months into the year, and already in
the first two months the amount of seized illegal cigarettes is higher
than in the first half of last year. By the end of February, 14 million
units had been confiscated.
In total, last year saw 21,816,820 seized units, which was the highest since 2010. It seems that this year the figure will be even higher. Most of the smuggled cigarettes are found near the borders, at the port of Limon, and in the international airports, and are of low quality.
Luis Alonso Bonilla, the Police Director of Fiscal Control of the Ministry of Finance, explained that increased seizure doesn’t mean increased smuggling. It does, however, suggest a movement of the product to more people.
A border patrol officer said that confiscating the cigarettes is not all about tax issues, it is, instead, that “The cigar itself is harmful, but if there’s no quality control it’s even more harmful. Previously, we’ve detected tobacco that contains rat feces, mold and other substances that can jeopardize your health.”
