From: Financial Review
600 illegal tobacco shops are ‘devastating’ retailers, industry warns
by Duncan Hughes
Retailers claim their revenues are being “devastated” by more than 600 organised crime-backed illegal cigarette and tobacco shops costing up to $4 billion a year in lost profits and taxes.
Gangs’ profits for distributing the tobacco increased by up to 17 per cent on September 1 because they will be evading the annual increase in tobacco excise tax and related fees paid by lawful businesses.
