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Filtered by Illicit Trade — 95 articles

Chander S Jeena

31 Oct. 2022

3 min read

The Current State of Illicit Trade in India

Despite great efforts at a global level, illicit trade has grown into a pandemic, and India is no exception.

Countries Illicit Trade

Chander S Jeena

24 Aug. 2022

6 min read

Overview of Illicit Seeds – Recent Developments, Traceability and Blockchain

The menace of illicit seeds continues to haunt farmers across the globe. And when it’s the festive season, the problem starts mushrooming in almost all countries and continents, irrespective of whether it is India in Asia, Ecuador in South America, Georgia in Europe, or Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, and Tanzania in Africa.

Illicit Trade

Dr Mark Deakes – Head of Technology Research

28 July 2022

5 min read

Stamping Down on Illicit Alcohol

The consumption of alcoholic beverages is deeply embedded in many societies worldwide. According to Statista, global consumption in 2019 generated $1.53 trillion in legally registered sales (recorded alcohol), equating to total volume sales of more than 296 billion litres.

Excise Products Illicit Trade

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

Sven Bergmann

18 Jan. 2022

6 min read

Economist Webinar Discusses Shift in Illicit Trade in Europe

In December last year, Economist Impact, part of the Economist Group, convened a roundtable titled ‘Continental shift: tackling illicit trade in Europe’ to discuss the fundamental changes illicit trade has undergone in Europe and to provide insights into how governments, service providers and industry need to address the issue.

Events Illicit Trade

Sven Bergmann

18 Jan. 2022

5 min read

The Newest Bootleg Liquor – Counterfeit Bourbon

If you rang in the New Year with that hard-to-find bottle of bourbon you had been hunting down in off-the-beaten-path stores or through a private social media collectors’ group, you might have been getting more than you bargained for… you might have gotten counterfeit.

Excise Products Illicit Trade

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

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

Sven Bergmann

28 July 2021

7 min read

Counterfeit Cigarettes Might be Making a Comeback

KPMG’s annual study of the illicit trade in tobacco in Europe is a robust and well-established study of illicit trade trends in Europe since its inception in 2006.

Excise Products Illicit Trade

Sven Bergmann

20 July 2021

3 min read

Illicit Trade in South Africa – An Experiment in Public Health Goes Wrong

When South Africa banned the sale of all alcohol and tobacco in early 2020, the intent was clear and noble: free up hospital beds so they would be available for COVID patients – and reduce tobacco consumption while a respiratory disease is ravaging the country.

Countries Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

28 June 2021

3 min read

Mali Delegation Draws on Burkina Faso’s Tobacco Tracing Experience

In April, Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Industry and Trade welcomed a delegation of public and private sector officials from its West African neighbour Mali, who were seeking to draw inspiration from Burkina Faso’s experience in tobacco product traceability.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

28 June 2021

5 min read

Cigarettes Flagged as Illicit by Cloned ID Number, Not by Security Label

In France and the UK, there have been recent news stories of cigarette packs identified in the market as illicit because they were all carrying the same ID number (when this number should in fact be unique to each pack). What was not mentioned in these reports, however, was whether or not the packs were carrying authentication labels, which they are obliged to do under the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).

Authentication Countries Excise Products

Sven Bergmann

25 May 2021

5 min read

Illicit Tobacco Trade in Europe Goes Local

Europol’s Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2021 (SOCTA-21) provides a detailed account of the dramatic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on organized crime, illicit markets in general and the illicit tobacco market in the EU in particular.

Excise Products Free Illicit Trade Free

Nicola Sudan

25 May 2021

2 min read

Benin’s Booming Illicit Fuel Trade Calls for New Responses

The illicit fuel trade in Benin has soared since 1980, and the situation isn’t much better today, reports David Zounmenou for ISS Today.

Countries Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

30 March 2021

4 min read

OCCRP Warns of Industry Involvement in West African Cigarette Smuggling

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has released two articles in connection with its investigations into cigarette smuggling activities in West Africa.

Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

30 March 2021

2 min read

Philippines to Remove Tax Stamp Exemption on Exports

The Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has announced it will reverse the rules exempting export cigarettes from carrying tax stamps, after a legislator raised concerns that exports were entering the market as tax-free smuggled goods.

Countries Illicit Trade

Sven Bergmann

26 March 2021

5 min read

Canada Revenue Agency Penalties Highlight Black Market in Cannabis

When Canada legalized cannabis in October 2018, the expectation was that cannabis would be a significant revenue generator right out of the gate.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Chander S Jeena

19 March 2021

3 min read

The Latest from India – Punjab Adopts Slew of Measures to Curb Illicit Liquor

In its bid to generate excise revenue and disrupt the kind of spurious partnerships between manufacturers and transporters that have led to tragedies involving illicit liquor, the Punjab state government has adopted a slew of excise policy measures.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

4 March 2021

2 min read

FII Institute Prepares to Combat Counterfeit and Illicit Trade in Africa

The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute – which describes itself as ‘a new generation of global not-for-profit foundation that ensures the world's brightest ideas find their way to materialise, scale and create positive sustainable impact on humanity’ – has entered into an agreement to combat counterfeit and illicit trade in Africa.

Companies Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

4 March 2021

2 min read

Trinidad and Tobago Clamps Down on Illicit Trade

Trinidad and Tobago’s Trade Minister, Paula Gopee-Scoon, has announced the development of an action plan, in collaboration with key trade-related agencies and the private sector, to address the problem of illicit trade, particularly in regard to tobacco and alcohol imports, reports looptt.com.

Countries Illicit Trade

Latest News

The Current State of Illicit Trade in India

Overview of Illicit Seeds – Recent Developments, Traceability and Blockchain

Stamping Down on Illicit Alcohol

How Taiwan's Consumer Reward Scheme Has Increased Government Revenue

Economist Webinar Discusses Shift in Illicit Trade in Europe

The Newest Bootleg Liquor – Counterfeit Bourbon

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

Illicit Tobacco Trade ‘Down Under’ Goes Local

Counterfeit Cigarettes Might be Making a Comeback

Illicit Trade in South Africa – An Experiment in Public Health Goes Wrong

Mali Delegation Draws on Burkina Faso’s Tobacco Tracing Experience

Cigarettes Flagged as Illicit by Cloned ID Number, Not by Security Label

Illicit Tobacco Trade in Europe Goes Local

Benin’s Booming Illicit Fuel Trade Calls for New Responses

OCCRP Warns of Industry Involvement in West African Cigarette Smuggling

Philippines to Remove Tax Stamp Exemption on Exports

Canada Revenue Agency Penalties Highlight Black Market in Cannabis

The Latest from India – Punjab Adopts Slew of Measures to Curb Illicit Liquor

FII Institute Prepares to Combat Counterfeit and Illicit Trade in Africa

Trinidad and Tobago Clamps Down on Illicit Trade

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