Ireland ranks third in tobacco smuggling among European countries, the Irish
Times reports. Between 13% and 29% of all tobacco products are illegal, a new
report finds.
The report
also discovered that the “man on the street” who purchases smuggled cigarettes
has no understanding of what that really means, said Damien English, who chairs
the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for the
government.
The
“Factbook on the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Product (ITTP)” pointed to high
prices for cigarettes, laughable penalties for smugglers and available
suppliers as to why the contraband cigarette trade in Ireland is flourishing.
Illegal cigarette sales costs Ireland between €200 million and €250 million
each year.
Smuggled
tobacco also has had a detrimental impact on retailers. Tobacco smuggling is a
“multi-million euro, global criminal and paramilitary run racket which is
making huge profits for those behind it,” said English.
In
September, the Oireachtas committee will give a report on tobacco smuggling.
However, English has already contacted Michael Noonan, the minister for
finance, on how the country should tackle contraband tobacco in the upcoming
budget.
Among
English’s recommendations are to give more money to the Revenue Commissioners
to go after smugglers and to perhaps ask for funds from retailers and tobacco
companies to pay for additional scanners at airports and ports. Ireland is
moving forward with plans to mandate plain packaging for cigarettes.
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