Cigarette smuggling in Romania went up to 9.8% in March

In March 2024, the cigarette black market went up to 9.8% of total consumption, compared to 7.7% in January, according to a study made by Novel research company, released on Tuesday.   “In March smuggling recorded the highest increase in the south-western area, by 6.7% to 11.9%. In the western area it sent up by 5.8% to 14.1%. In March, the north west continues to be the most affected by the black market, (21.3%, on the rise by 2.1% against January). In point of product origin in the black market, the highest share os held by duty free (over 41%), followed by Bulgaria, which is rising by 7.5% to 20.5%. On the other hand, the share of Moldovan products drops by 5.7% to 15.9%”, said Marian Marcu, CEO Novel Research, in a press release.   In her turn, Ileana Dumitru, Foreign Relations director for South-Eastern European area, BAT, mentioned that the study shows a record level of smuggling in Romania in the last three years, the main sources being duty free products proven to be counterfiet – 41% and tobacco products for the Bulgarian market – 20.5%.   On the other hand, Gilda Lazar, director of Corporate Affairs & Communications, JTI Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria, pointed out that sudden smuggling increases have been registered at every unplanned excize growth.   In the oppinion of Dragos Bucurenci, External Affairs Manager, Phillip Morris Romania, the increase of over 2% of the black market is alarming, especially when it exceeds the 8% average level of smuggling in EU, according to a KPMG study.   In his turn, Enrico Ziino, Head of Corporate & Legal Affairs South East Europe, Imperial Brands pointed out that in the past months, the press wrote about record captures, searches in several counties and other actions to break up criminal groups.   At the same time, police chief Cornel Laurian Stoica, general inspector of Border Police mentioned that the Romanian Border Police was permanently involved in actions meant to fight counterfeit product trafficking with very good results.   “In the first three months of the year, following the intense efforts of border policemen, 600,000 cigarette packs worth 13 million lei, were confiscated. In the first quarter, border policemen also confiscated 6,200 kg of tobacco and 47kg of tobacco for pipes. The Border Police will continue to be in the front line of fighting smuggling, cigarettes being among the most smuggled products at country borders,” Stoica said.   On the other hand, Aurel Dobre, the director of the Department Investigating Economic crimes from the Romanian Police said that policemen and their institutional partners permanently carry out checks and actions to fight cigarette smuggling. “In the first 3 months of the year, 4,300,000 cigarettes were captured and 120 criminal files were recorded and 192 people were investigated. Our purpose is to prevent and efficiently fight crimes made in the field of cigarette trafficking, processing and illegal trade, with a view to reducing the negative impact on the general consolidated state budget, the discovery of illegal market functioning and the elimination of unloyal competition,”said Aurel Dobre.   Annually, tobacco companies, big tax payers, send over 20 billion lei to the state budget, representing excises, VAT and other taxes and contributions.