From: Local Government Association [U.K.]
Efforts to reduce smoking are being undermined by millions of cheap, illegal cigarettes containing up to 500 per cent higher levels of cancer-causing chemicals flooding the black market, warn councils.
Huge quantities of illicit cigarettes are being taken off the streets by councils as they continue cracking down on the illegal trade.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said recent council hauls have seen sniffer dogs used to trace bootlegged and counterfeit tobacco.
Dr. Louise Shelley
Omer L. and Nancy Hirst Endowed Chair
Director,Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC)
University Professor, School of Policy, Government and International Affairs
Inaugural Andrew Carnegie Fellow 2015-17
George Mason University
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Recommendations:
1) Attach more attention to the analysis and policing of illicit trade as this remains an under policed area of criminal activity. This is important for the different agencies of Homeland Security that have such great jurisdictional authority over trade entering and exiting the United States.
Editor’s Note: Below is are brief excerpts from the report’s Forward. The complete report in English is available here.
From: European Union Intellectual Property Office
Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods is a major challenge in an innovation driven global economy. These practices have negative effects on the sales and profits of affected firms, while also having adverse revenue, economic, health, safety and security effects for governments, businesses and consumers. Organised criminal groups are seen as playing an increasingly important role in these activities, by benefiting significantly from profitable counterfeiting and piracy operations.
