TOKYO: The Japanese maker of Winston, Camel and Mevius cigarettes today said smuggling of tobacco products remains rampant in the Philippines.
In a statement, Japan Tobacco International Philippines Inc. (JTIP) president Manos Koukourakis said the rise in seizures of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes by Customs and police highlight the need for stricter penalties.
“While we are part of the solution by tracking and tracing our brands and sharing information with Customs, unfortunately the illegal trade in tobacco products continues to flourish,” Koukourakis said.
“The illegal trade represents 12 percent of the worldwide market. The criminal gangs behind the black market evade tax and are amassing great wealth,” he said.
The company’s statement comes in the wake of a leadership change at the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which had been at the forefront of the government’s campaign against smuggling.
“JTI is fully committed to supporting police and Customs. We are 100 percent in support of the BIR’s tax stamp project to check against tax evasion and smuggling in cigarettes,” Koukourakis said, referring to the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s move to impose tax stamps to ferret out illicit products.
JTIP said it is backing a bill that would ban the sale of cigarettes at very low prices to discourage the youth from picking up the habit.
“Minors should not smoke and should not be able to obtain tobacco products from any source, legitimate or otherwise,” Koukourakis said.
“Preventing minors from having access is key in reducing youth smoking. We’re proud to be leading on this issue with our Youth Access Prevention program in collaboration with our partner stores and outlets.
However, the criminals supplying very cheap illegal cigarettes, don’t care who they sell to. Illegal cigarettes undermine government health efforts and the good work of the law-abiding retailers,” he added.
