Webinar 20/2021 'Tobacco fraud'

Wednesday 15 December at 10:00 CET

OBJECTIVES

Illicit trade of cigarettes is an ongoing criminal phenomenon in Europe heavily affecting all EU Member States and neighbouring countries.

According to the empty pack survey results of KPMG Project Sun the total volume of contraband and counterfeit of cigarettes amounted to 34,2 billion sticks in 2020 which was 7.8 % of the total cigarette consumption in the EU. These figures give a reason to worry. During the last ten years on the EU level the ratio as well as the total amount of illegally consumed cigarettes had been gradually decreasing. Though at the level of Member States from year to year the picture was more varied, on the European level the overall trend had been steadily positive. Last year figures however show a change in the trend and it is clear that the reversal is caused by the rapid increase of illegal cigarette manufacturing within the EU. Covid-19 restrictions did not stop illegal flows but on the other hand impacted law enforcement operative capacities.

While there are more and more illegal factories set up by organised crime groups within Europe the traditional smuggling of “cheap whites” through the Eastern border also continues though with lower intensity. This webinar is aiming to cover these two forms of cigarette crime by demonstrating crime patterns and the related investigative and border management practice through case examples from the Irish customs investigation (covering illegal manufacturing) and Polish border guard services (discussing smuggling from Belarus, Ukraine, Russia).

TARGET GROUP

Law enforcement officers dealing with tobacco fraud related investigations and operations. Customs, police, judiciary and tax officers are all welcome.