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Filtered by Countries — 114 articles

Nicola Sudan

3 April 2022

7 min read

No Way Back for South Africa’s Legal Tobacco Market?

Eighteen months after lifting its cigarette ban, South Africa still struggles with inflated illicit sales, proving that the experts were right when they said the ban would entrench illicit trade into the day-to-day life of the country and make it very difficult to eradicate.

Countries Excise Products

Nicola Sudan

3 April 2022

1 min read

Pakistan Revenue’s New Mantra: ‘No Production Without Taxation’

During a recent symposium on the implementation of track and trace in the fertiliser sector, Pakistan’s FBR declared that, given the proven success of the system on tobacco and sugar, its aim going forward was to ensure ‘no production without taxation’ across the country.

Countries Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

14 Feb. 2022

3 min read

How Taiwan's Consumer Reward Scheme Has Increased Government Revenue

Part of any anti-illicit product strategy should ideally include measures to reduce consumer demand for illicit products in the first place. While such measures could include imposing penalties on consumers for buying illicit goods, Taiwan has gone in the opposite direction with a scheme that rewards consumers for buying genuine, compliant goods.

Countries Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

19 Jan. 2022

4 min read

Ecuador Under Pressure?

In the August 2021 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we covered some rather controversial changes that Ecuador’s tax authority, Servicio de Rentas Internas (SRI) had pushed through back in April in the form of Resolution NACDGERCGC21-00000019.

Countries Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

18 Jan. 2022

2 min read

Pakistan Reports 11% Higher Sugar Tax Revenues

Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reported 11% higher tax revenues from the sugar sector, following the expansion of its tax stamp and track and trace system in November last year (the system was initially launched on domestically produced tobacco products earlier in 2021).

Countries Tax Stamps Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

20 Dec. 2021

2 min read

Kenya Rolls Out New Generation Tax Stamps

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has rolled out a new generation of serialised tax stamps for excisable goods as part of its strategy to continuously review and improve the security features of the stamps.

Countries

Nicola Sudan

20 Dec. 2021

1 min read

Guam Tax Stamp Procurement Fails

The procurement of cigarette tax stamps for the US island territory of Guam has gone back to square one, as only one bid was received for supplying the stamps, and that bid was rejected for not meeting all the requirements, advised Marie Lizama, Deputy Director at the Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT).

Countries

Alberto De La Serna

20 Dec. 2021

4 min read

US Cannabis Model – The New Regulatory Frontier for Governments

In the United States, state and local governments have been facing the challenges of regulating cannabis and hemp for medicinal and adult use. These challenges are now going international as more countries consider regulatory programs.

Countries Excise Products

Francisco Mandiola

30 Nov. 2021

4 min read

Chile’s Tobacco Traceability System: the Latest Numbers

In 2011, Chile began seriously considering implementing a tax stamp and traceability programme, when Michel Jorratt, a member of the Chilean tax authority, Servicio de Impuestos Internos (SII), published a study estimating that over $500 million were being evaded yearly in cigarette tax in Chile.

Countries Free Track and Trace Free

Nicola Sudan

30 Nov. 2021

2 min read

Lebanon Launches Tobacco Stamp and Traceability Programme

OpSec Security, together with technology partner Scopsis SAL, has announced a new partnership with Régie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs (Régie Libanaise) to combat the illicit tobacco trade in Lebanon.

Countries Excise Products Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

30 Nov. 2021

1 min read

Pakistan Extends Tax Stamps to Sugar Mills

Following the roll-out of secure track and trace on domestically manufactured tobacco products, Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has now extended the system to the next sector ‘on its list’: sugar.

Countries

Sven Bergmann

30 Nov. 2021

6 min read

California’s Growing Illicit Cannabis Problem

The legalization of cannabis provides tremendous opportunities, not only for legitimate cannabis growers, distributors, and dispensaries, but also for criminals and criminal networks looking to establish or expand illegal operations.

Countries Excise Products

Nicola Sudan

27 Oct. 2021

3 min read

SA Tax Authority Claims Billions in Tobacco Taxes from Just One Company

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has claimed a staggering ZAR 19 billion ($1.28 billion) in unpaid taxes from just one company, Verbena Freight and Logistics Management, which has since been accused of tobacco smuggling. Most of the outstanding amount relates to customs duties.

Countries Tax & Revenue

Nicola Sudan

30 Sept. 2021

2 min read

Tanzania’s Tax Stamp Success

The Tanzanian Parliamentary Budget Committee has commended the performance of the country’s tax stamp programme and has called for it to be extended to more products.

Countries

Nicola Sudan

22 Sept. 2021

5 min read

Another Traceability System for Russia… But No Product Marking Required

In July, Russia’s new National Product Traceability System (NPTS) transitioned from being experimental and voluntary, to a mandatory scheme for businesses dealing in certain types of products. The new scheme was implemented alongside the already existing Chestny ZNAK (‘honest mark’) product traceability system, introduced in 2019.

Countries Track and Trace

Chander S Jeena

8 Sept. 2021

3 min read

Uttar Pradesh’s Ongoing Fight with Illicit Liquor: Two Years of Using Plain Barcode Label

In June, in an unfortunate hooch tragedy (hooch is another word for moonshine – or illicit liquor), more than 100 people lost their lives in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Following the incident, a police raid raised concerns that the state excise policy was inadequate and needed reviewing, especially in relation to the use of tax stamps as an important anti-counterfeiting tool.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Sven Bergmann

26 Aug. 2021

2 min read

Malta – Steady Does It

Malta is showing the world how to address the complex problem of illicit tobacco – ie. by adopting a steady and consistent approach.

Countries Excise Products

Francisco Mandiola

26 Aug. 2021

8 min read

Pan-Latin American Analysis: Part II

In last month’s Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we published the first of a two-part review of tax stamps and traceability programmes in Latin America. This month, we give a brief update on Central American countries, together with more in-depth coverage of Costa Rica and Ecuador, where there have been several key developments.

Countries Tax & Revenue Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

25 Aug. 2021

1 min read

Pakistan Gets Green Light to Implement Track & Trace

The Sindh High Court in Pakistan has reversed a stay order imposed earlier this year on a licence agreement issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for a track and trace system on local and imported tobacco, cement, sugar and fertiliser.

Countries Track and Trace

Sven Bergmann

18 Aug. 2021

7 min read

Illicit Tobacco Trade ‘Down Under’ Goes Local

In this article, we examine the illicit tobacco trade in Australia and how it is continuing to evolve. We look at what continues to drive smokers to seek illicit tobacco, but also what criminal networks did when looking to source and traffic illicit tobacco products into Australia during the pandemic.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Latest News

No Way Back for South Africa’s Legal Tobacco Market?

Pakistan Revenue’s New Mantra: ‘No Production Without Taxation’

How Taiwan's Consumer Reward Scheme Has Increased Government Revenue

Ecuador Under Pressure?

Pakistan Reports 11% Higher Sugar Tax Revenues

Kenya Rolls Out New Generation Tax Stamps

Guam Tax Stamp Procurement Fails

US Cannabis Model – The New Regulatory Frontier for Governments

Chile’s Tobacco Traceability System: the Latest Numbers

Lebanon Launches Tobacco Stamp and Traceability Programme

Pakistan Extends Tax Stamps to Sugar Mills

California’s Growing Illicit Cannabis Problem

SA Tax Authority Claims Billions in Tobacco Taxes from Just One Company

Tanzania’s Tax Stamp Success

Another Traceability System for Russia… But No Product Marking Required

Uttar Pradesh’s Ongoing Fight with Illicit Liquor: Two Years of Using Plain Barcode Label

Malta – Steady Does It

Pan-Latin American Analysis: Part II

Pakistan Gets Green Light to Implement Track & Trace

Illicit Tobacco Trade ‘Down Under’ Goes Local

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