Stamping Out Illicit Trade: A Look Inside Excise Revenue Protection

Driven by his desire to understand and solve country-specific pain points, Steven Proudfoot, OpSec’s Government Solutions Product Director, shares his experience of working alongside a larger team to advise government agencies and partners on how to best protect their country from illicit trade.

Steven Proudfoot, Product Director, Government Solutions, OpSec.

Q: What challenges do governments face when fighting illicit trade?

A: Governments implement tax stamp and traceability solutions to address counterfeit goods, illicit production, and smuggling.

However, several challenges can arise during implementation.

One issue is selecting the most appropriate stamp technologies for the target industries, while ensuring enforcement officers can effectively enforce the programme. For instance, in fast-paced, wet production environments where traditional tax stamps may not adhere well, direct-to-product printing with secure unique codes can be a viable alternative.

Another consideration is the specific market dynamics of each country, particularly the balance between large manufacturers and small importers.