From: The Shields Gazette (England)By LISA NIGHTINGALE
SOUTH Shields smokers have puffed their way through more illegal tobacco than anywhere else in the region, according to latest figures.
The town has taken the top spot in a new ‘empty packs’ survey carried out between October and December 2010.
Researchers deployed across the country rooted through bins at smoking hotspots on the hunt for cigarette packets discarded by smokers.
Those found were logged as being a legal or an illegal brand – and of those discovered in South Shields 19.2 per cent were illicit, the highest in the region.
Sunderland was ranked second with 16.8 per cent of packets being an illegal brand and Newcastle third with 16.4 per cent, while only 5.6 per cent were discovered in Hartlepool.
According to figures released by Revenue and Customs (HMRC), one in nine cigarettes smoked in the UK is illegal and half of all hand-rolling tobacco is illegal, costing £2.2bn in annual tax revenue.
Paul Rooney, HMRC’s local director of criminal investigations for the North East, said: “Tobacco smuggling is an organised crime on a global scale, with huge profits ploughed straight back into the criminal underworld, feeding activities including drug dealing, people smuggling and fraud.
“Purchasing cheap cigarettes without the duty paid means trading with criminals, and undermining honest businesses.”
Coun Tracey Dixon, South Tyneside’s lead member for leisure and community safety, said the authority was continuing to crack down on ‘tab houses’ and illegal sales.
She added: “Counterfeit tobacco is uncontrolled and untested, and because it is cheap, is often sold to children. Our young people are being exploited by criminals and criminal gangs, and this is a real worry.
“The reduced cost also makes tobacco more affordable for those on lower incomes, making them less likely to give up.
“Not to mention the negative impact it has on legitimate traders who operate within the law.
“We are determined to stamp out the sale and supply of illicit tobacco in our communities and are working with our partners to raise awareness of ‘tab houses’.
“More people are coming forward with information which shows that they are less prepared to turn a blind eye to this sort of activity.
“We hope this support continues and we will take action against those responsible wherever possible.”
As well as having a huge impact on legitimate traders, counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco seized in the past have been found to contain harmful substances including asbestos, rat droppings, plastics and petrol residues.
Ailsa Rutter, director of local smoking campaign group Fresh, said: “We have had the very successful Tackling Illicit tobacco for Better Health programme to reduce demand for and supply of illegal tobacco.
“This has already paid off.
“We know from a recent survey among smokers that there has been a significant decline in the purchase of illegal tobacco in the North East since 2009, and fewer smokers think it is acceptable for illegal tobacco to be sold. This has enabled partners like South Tyneside Council to gather local intelligence and take action.”
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: “The problem is enforcement is focused on large-scale border shipments, rather than tackling the inland illicit tobacco trade, which is being carried out from tab houses, car boots and white vans.
“We need a new integrated enforcement strategy, as well as new penalties against the dealers.”
John O’Connell, research director for The TaxPayers Alliance, said: “The margins are more than good enough for smugglers to lose containers of cigarettes at the border and still make a healthy return.
The survey was carried out on behalf of international tobacco company, Philip Morris International.
