Anti-smuggling campaign in Romania and Moldova:

JTI launched a new public anti-smuggling campaing with the message ‘ Smuggling brings criminals in the community’ developed in partnership with the Customs Authority Romania, The Border Police Romania, the Romanian Police, The Customs Service of the Republic of Molodva and the Border Police of the Republic of Molodva with the support of JTI.   The campaign is taken place in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, the message being promoted on street billboards in Bucharest and the border regions, in Chisinau and on TVR, regional TVR stations (Iasi, Craiova, Info, Sport, Folclor, Moldova), Iasi TV live, Radio Oltenia Craiova, Radio Iasi and Radio Resita, as well as online on www.faracontrabanda.ro, www.facebook.com faracontrabanda.ro, between October and November.   "Smuggling brings criminals into the community" aims to inform and raise public awareness of the negative effects of illegal trade in cigarettes: fueling organized crime, damaging the state budget, stopping the economic development of border localities. According to the latest Novl Research data, the black market of cigarettes was in July at 11.9% of the total consumption, a record for the last five years.   "More than 40% of the budget revenues from excise duties come from tobacco excise duties, and the Romanian Customs Authority has, among other roles, the protection of the financial interests of Romania and the European Union. As a result, this campaign is part of our partnership efforts with the private sector to combat illegal trade. We are convinced that promoting the campaign's message in the southern region of the country, on the border with Bulgaria, will have the desired effect in terms of reducing small-scale trafficking in certain products, including cigarettes. The Romanian Customs Authority will continue, as before, its wide-ranging actions, in collaboration with all the competent domestic institutions and specific international organizations, in order to reduce the black market", said Alexandru Bogdan Balan, President of the Romanian Customs Authority.   ‘Fighting cigarette smuggling continues to be a priority for the Border Police, and in this sense the results speak by themselves. In the first eight months, the border police officers detained for confiscation, approximately 4,350,000 smuggled cigarette packages, worth approximately 105 million lei, as well as important tobacco quantities. Similarly, through partnerships signed with the cigarette producers there was developed the prevention sector of this phenomenon which damages not only the budget revenues, but also represent a real danger for society, fueling criminality and organised crime’, added the Inspector General of the Border Police, Senior Superintendent of Police Cornel Laurian Stoica.   "In the first 8 months of 2025, the Romanian Police intensified controls, checks and investigations to counter cigarette smuggling. In this area, 15 criminal groups were disrupted and more than 95 million cigarettes and over 3.1 tons of tobacco were seized. We continue to be actively involved in the fight against smuggling, using all legal instruments, together with our institutional partners", said the Director of the Economic Crime Investigation Directorate of the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police - Police Superintendent Dobre Aurel.   "Smuggling undermines the economy and public confidence. Over the past year, the customs authority, working closely with law enforcement partners, has documented more than 110 criminal cases and 322 contravention cases, with over 4 million lei worth of goods seized and 1.47 million lei in penalties. At the same time, several clandestine cigarette factories have been dismantled, a sign that we do not tolerate organized mechanisms of illegal trade. These results confirm that it is only through joint actions that we can limit smuggling and strengthen a climate of legality in support of people and the economy," said Alexandru Iacub, Director of the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova. "Illegal trade is a complex challenge that requires both balanced and predictable fiscal policies and close collaboration between the public and private sectors. Long-term solutions can only be achieved when authorities, industry and society work together. That is why we are proud to support public campaigns in partnership with law enforcement authorities. Our goals are on the same track: reducing illicit trade strengthens the state budget, protects consumers and supports fair competition. In 2024 alone, JTI Romania contributed more than €1.3 billion to the state budget, mostly excise taxes - proof that the tobacco sector is a steady and fiscally sound partner," said Antonio Vencesla, Director Corporate Affairs and Communications, JTI Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria.   JTI is one of the largest world producers of tobacco products and vaping products with operations in over 130 countries. With the headquarters in Geneve, Switzerland, JTI has almost 46,000 employees, a member of the Japan Tobacco group. For more information, visit www.jti.com.