OECD HIGHLIGHTS HUGE PROFITS AVAILABLE FROM TOBACCO COUNTERFEITING
November 1st, 2007
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE VAST profits generated by smuggling counterfeit cigarettes have been highlighted in a new OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development) report. It concludes that container with 8.5 million sticks smuggled into the US would yield US$ 1-1.5 million in revenue, while costing the illicit manufacturer just US$ 120,000-130,000 to make, plus 25%-30% shipping costs, if made in China. The OECD highlighted a 2006 British study indicating the proportion of counterfeits amongst cigarettes seized by UK Customs rose from 15% in 2001/02 to ...
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