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Filtered by Illicit Trade — 95 articles

Nicola Sudan

31 May 2026

1 min read

Bangladesh to Deploy Counting Cameras and QR Codes to Curb Illicit Tobacco

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan has said strict monitoring to curb tax evasion will begin with the tobacco sector.

Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

20 April 2026

2 min read

EU Authorities Seize 3.1 Million Pills During Operation SHIELD VI

For the sixth consecutive year, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has facilitated the efforts of customs authorities from 14 EU member states in cracking down on illicit pharmaceutical products, with the latest coordinated enforcement action – Operation SHIELD VI – leading to the seizure of more than 3.1 million pills across the bloc.

Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

25 March 2026

3 min read

Factory Closure Intensifies Calls for Stronger Controls on South African Tobacco Market

The recent announcement by British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) that it will close its Heidelberg cigarette manufacturing plant has added new urgency to the country’s debate over illicit trade and excise enforcement. The closure, which threatens hundreds of jobs and removes a significant piece of South Africa’s formal tobacco manufacturing capacity, has prompted trade unions to enter the discussion more forcefully, arguing that stronger technological enforcement measures are needed to restore order to the market.

Illicit Trade

Sven Bergmann

4 March 2026

6 min read

Illicit Tobacco in 2026: Entrenched, Expanding, and Reshaping Global Markets

The global illicit tobacco trade in 2026 has evolved into a mature and deeply embedded parallel supply chain that operates across continents with industrial manufacturing capacity, established logistics corridors, and retail distribution networks that reach directly into consumer markets. This allows organized criminal groups to manufacture, transport, and sell illicit cigarettes and vape products at scale while avoiding taxation, regulatory compliance, and product safety requirements that legitimate manufacturers must meet.

Excise Products Illicit Trade

Sven Bergmann

2 Feb. 2026

7 min read

The Global Rise of Fake GLP-1 Medicines

Glucagon-like peptide-1 medicines, commonly referred to as GLP-1 medicines, represent one of the most consequential pharmaceutical breakthroughs of the past decade, initially transforming the treatment of Type 2 diabetes before rapidly demonstrating profound secondary benefits in weight loss, cardiovascular risk reduction, and broader metabolic health.

Consumer & Industrial Products Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

2 Feb. 2026

2 min read

It Was Bound to Happen: BAT Pulls Cigarette Production Out of South Africa

It hardly comes as a surprise to learn that British American Tobacco (BAT) – which controls roughly two thirds of South Africa’s legal cigarette market – has decided to close its sole manufacturing plant in the country, as it struggles to operate in a market consumed by illicit trade.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

22 Dec. 2025

2 min read

South Africa Launches Multi-Industry Task Forces to Tackle Illicit Trade

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has launched several task forces aimed at strengthening South Africa’s response to illicit trade, with a particular focus on high-risk excisable and fast-moving consumer goods sectors.

Countries Enforcement & Surveillance Illicit Trade

Chander S Jeena

22 Dec. 2025

3 min read

NVIDIA and the New Reality of AI Chip Trade

In December, American tech company NVIDIA – famous for pioneering the graphics processing units (GPUs) behind PC gaming and the AI revolution – introduced location verification technology for its most advanced AI chips. The move aims to reduce the illicit flow of high-performance GPUs into restricted markets, especially China. Indeed, the fast-growing black market in AI chips has transformed these little pieces of silicon into high-value contraband.

Illicit Trade Technology & Systems

Nicola Sudan

4 Dec. 2025

2 min read

Parties to FCTC Protocol Adopt Decision on Tobacco Seizure Mapping

The Fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP4) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products – which took place 24-26 November in Geneva, Switzerland – has concluded with a series of decisions to strengthen measures on international cooperation, including a decision on the mapping of tobacco product seizures.

Events Excise Products Government

Nicola Sudan

4 Dec. 2025

8 min read

Protocol Progressing – But Mind the Gaps, Says MOP4 Report

At the recent Fourth Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP4) to the FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products1, the FCTC Secretariat released its latest Protocol implementation status report2, including the status of track and trace programmes. While the report concludes that advances are being made with regard to Protocol implementation, there are still wide gaps remaining. Furthermore, the report cautions readers to tread carefully with regard to its findings, given that it is based on data that is generally quite sparse.

Government Illicit Trade Regulations

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4 Dec. 2025

2 min read

2.3% of World Trade is ‘Fake’, New Report Estimates

A new study by the OECD and EU Intellectual Property Office has found that, in 2021, the global trade in counterfeit goods was valued at approximately $467 billion, accounting for 2.3% of total global imports.

Illicit Trade Reports & Studies

Nicola Sudan

25 Nov. 2025

2 min read

Australian Retailers Stop Selling Cigarettes Amid Illicit Boom

Australia’s largest independently licensed supermarket group, Ritchies, has begun phasing out the sale of tobacco products at its liquor stores – with supermarkets maybe next in line.

Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

29 Sept. 2025

9 min read

Track and Trace Success and Failure Under Scrutiny at ITSA Webinar

At the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) webinar held on 24 September – with 24 revenue/customs authorities in attendance – guest speaker Dr Hana Ross from the University of Cape Town and Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies examined the prerequisites for achieving track and trace success on excisable products, referring to real-world cases of successful and failed systems.

Associations Case Studies Excise Products

Sven Bergmann

29 Sept. 2025

9 min read

The Overlooked Threat: Illicit Tobacco as a Global Public Policy Challenge

Illicit trade in tobacco and vapor products has become a critical challenge facing policymakers, regulators, revenue authorities, and law enforcement. Once seen as a secondary issue compared to narcotics or counterfeit pharmaceuticals, illicit tobacco is now a clear and present threat for many countries across the globe.

Countries Excise Products Free Free

Nicola Sudan

29 Sept. 2025

1 min read

Car Crash Exposes One Million Cigarettes Without Tax Stamps

A Lithuanian man has been arrested for trying to smuggle more than one million cigarettes into Poland after a road accident exposed the contraband concealed in his van.

Excise Products Illicit Trade

Ian Lancaster

2 Sept. 2025

8 min read

The UK’s Illicit Cigarette Trade

In the June 2025 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we reported that KPMG had released its ‘Illicit Cigarette Consumption in Europe’ report for 2024, commissioned by Philip Morris. Prompted by a later in-depth report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the illicit cigarette trade in Hull, a port city on England’s North Sea coast, this article examines the situation in the UK as a whole.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Ian Lancaster

4 Aug. 2025

7 min read

The UK’s Illicit Cigarette Trade

In the June 2025 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we reported that KPMG had released its ‘Illicit Cigarette Consumption in Europe’ report for 2024, commissioned by Philip Morris International. Prompted by a later in-depth report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the illicit cigarette trade in Hull, a port city on England’s North Sea coast, this article examines the situation in the UK as a whole.

Excise Products Illicit Trade

Sven Bergmann

21 July 2025

5 min read

US Enforcement on Illicit Vapor Finally Gains Steam

In a move that is both welcome and long overdue, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently announced the seizure of nearly $34 million worth of unauthorized e-cigarettes during a coordinated operation at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport. The scale and scope of this joint action – nearly 1.4 million units of illegal products – signals a critical shift: enforcement against the illicit vapor market is no longer just theoretical.

Illicit Trade Strategies

Chander S Jeena

17 July 2025

2 min read

‘Help! My Code’s Being Copied!’ So, What’s New?

‘I really need help,’ posted a brand owner who used Amazon to ship its products, referring to the serialised ‘Transparency’ QR codes that brands apply to individual product units to verify authenticity and combat counterfeiting.

Illicit Trade

Aftab Baloch

29 June 2025

4 min read

Tackling Illicit Trade and Counterfeiting in Pakistan

Pakistan faces a significant challenge from illicit trade and counterfeiting, a reality starkly reflected in the ‘2025 Illicit Trade Index’, published by the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT), where Pakistan ranked 101 out of 158 countries.

Illicit Trade

Latest News

Bangladesh to Deploy Counting Cameras and QR Codes to Curb Illicit Tobacco

EU Authorities Seize 3.1 Million Pills During Operation SHIELD VI

Factory Closure Intensifies Calls for Stronger Controls on South African Tobacco Market

Illicit Tobacco in 2026: Entrenched, Expanding, and Reshaping Global Markets

The Global Rise of Fake GLP-1 Medicines

It Was Bound to Happen: BAT Pulls Cigarette Production Out of South Africa

South Africa Launches Multi-Industry Task Forces to Tackle Illicit Trade

NVIDIA and the New Reality of AI Chip Trade

Parties to FCTC Protocol Adopt Decision on Tobacco Seizure Mapping

Protocol Progressing – But Mind the Gaps, Says MOP4 Report

2.3% of World Trade is ‘Fake’, New Report Estimates

Australian Retailers Stop Selling Cigarettes Amid Illicit Boom

Track and Trace Success and Failure Under Scrutiny at ITSA Webinar

The Overlooked Threat: Illicit Tobacco as a Global Public Policy Challenge

Car Crash Exposes One Million Cigarettes Without Tax Stamps

The UK’s Illicit Cigarette Trade

The UK’s Illicit Cigarette Trade

US Enforcement on Illicit Vapor Finally Gains Steam

‘Help! My Code’s Being Copied!’ So, What’s New?

Tackling Illicit Trade and Counterfeiting in Pakistan

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