DUBLIN– Ireland ranks third in tobacco smuggling among European countries,
the Irish Times reports. Between 13% and 29% of all tobacco products are
illegal, a new report finds.
The report also discovered
that the “man on the street” who purchases smuggled cigarettes has no
understanding of what that really means, said Damien English, who chairs the
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for the
government.
The “Factbook on the
Illicit Trade in Tobacco Product (ITTP)” pointed to high prices for cigarettes,
laughable penalties for smugglers and available suppliers as to why the
contraband cigarette trade in Ireland is flourishing. Illegal cigarette sales
costs Ireland between €200 million and €250 million each year.
Smuggled tobacco also has
had a detrimental impact on retailers. Tobacco smuggling is a “multi-million
euro, global criminal and paramilitary run racket which is making huge profits
for those behind it,” said English.
In September, the
Oireachtas committee will give a report on tobacco smuggling. However, English
has already contacted Michael Noonan, the minister for finance, on how the
country should tackle contraband tobacco in the upcoming budget.
Among English’s recommendations are to give more
money to the Revenue Commissioners to go after smugglers and to perhaps ask for
funds from retailers and tobacco companies to pay for additional scanners at
airports and ports. Ireland is moving forward with plans to mandate plain packaging for cigarettes.