(i) Reaction to plain packaging
NFRN: Government Lets Down Shopkeepers
Press release (UK). 9 March 2011
The National Federation of Retail Newsagents feel angered and let down by the government’s decision to push ahead with a ban on the display of tobacco products while simultaneously pursuing the notion of plain packs. A shop with plain packs that are hidden would be impossible to operate efficiently
Smoking announcement a victory for ‘enemies of enterprise’
Press release (UK). 9 March 2011
“The proposed consultation on plain packaging is a further unwelcome step. Illicit tobacco already makes up some 20% of the market in the UK and plain packaging will simply make it easier for providers of illicit tobacco to pass off their wares as legitimate. It will help create a thriving black market and will see tax revenues fall.”
Smoke pack plans could choke industry
Manufacturing News (UK), 9 March 2011
Plans to enforce the sale of cigarettes in plain packets could make it easier for counterfeiters and cost UK jobs, the union Unite has warned.
Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) slams ministers non-decision on tobacco display ban
Association of Convenience Stores website (UK), 30 November 2010
“Plain Packaging would be difficult for retailers, imposing costs through slowing down service and restocking and threatening sales by making illegal counterfeiting far easier.”
Brand group opposes government’s plain packaging for cigarettes plan
Packagingmag (Australia), 22 November 2010
Plans to introduce plain packaging on tobacco products has met with opposition from the British Brands Group (BBG), a non-profit organisation set up in 1994 to represent brand members on regulatory and commercial issues. John Noble, director of BBG, claimed plain packaging was "bad news for consumers and markets".
Intellectual property rights may prevent tobacco plain packaging plan
Packagingmag (Australia), 27 October 2010
The Labor government’s plan to introduce plain packaging on tobacco products has hit a legal stumbling block in the form of infringements on intellectual property rights.
“Bad anti-intellectual property laws by State and Federal Parliaments could require taxpayers to gift up to $3.4 billion per year in compensation to big tobacco firms for the loss of their trademarks”, Director of the IP and Free Trade Unit at the Institute of Public Affairs, Tim Wilson, said.
Agency queries plain-pack legality
The Age (Australia), 23 October 2010
The battle over plain-pack cigarettes has flared again with the disclosure that
a federal agency raised the prospect of legal obstacles to the Labor
government's plan.
Intellectual Property Australia has told the federal government that the
plain-packaging measure might not meet Australia's intellectual property treaty
obligations.
Compensation threat to plain cigarette packaging plan
ABC News (Australia), 22 October 2010
There is new evidence the Federal Government could face multi-billion-dollar
compensation claims over its latest anti-smoking reforms.
Retailer opposes packaging plan
Peninsula News (Australia), 30 August 2010
An Empire Bay retailer has joined the Alliance of Australian Retailers to fight
the Federal Government's plan to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes.
Plain packaging ploy likely to go up in smoke
The Australian (Australia), 29 April 2010
Turning public debate from the failed emissions trading scheme to universally despised tobacco emissions is a media masterstroke from Kevin Rudd, but the cost could leave a singe in taxpayers' pockets. During the government's announcement of plain packaging for cigarettes, Rudd and Health Minister Nicola Roxon celebrated it as a world first because no other government has taken similar action.
No plain wrap
Daily Telegraph (Australia), 4 January 2010
Simon Beynon believes that "packaging does not
determine whether you smoke or
not, if it does anything it
determines what brand you smoke".
Smoking business owner hurt by policies
Caboolture News (Australia), 23 December 2009
Tobacconist Prakash Balia understands
why the government and health organisations
would dearly love him and his fellow shop owners
to shut up for good.
Lord Mandelson stubs out plans for plain cigarette packets
London Evening Standard (UK), 18 December 2009
A challenge by Lord Mandelson has delayed the Government's new anti-smoking strategy.
Health Taskforce wishes you all a long, dull life with nanny
Institute of Public Affairs (Australia), 2 September 2009
Tim Wilson of the Institute of Public Affairs calls the just released National Preventative Health Taskforce report a monument to why elites think the average Australian needs a nanny to hold their hand through daily life.
Nanna says no
The Age (Australia), 12 July 2009
Josh Gordon, The Sunday Age's national political reporter, discusses whether some of the public health measures proposed by the National Preventative Health Taskforce, including plain packaging, are justifiable.
Plain packaging: Considering plain packaging tobacco products is one thing, but the conferring of the proposed legislative powers is another
The Times (UK), 24 April 2009
Christopher Morcom QC writes to the Editor to offer his views that there would have to be cogent evidence to justify the imposition of a requirement for plain packaging, which would have the effect of destroying intellectual property rights.
Pledge to stop law on plain cigarette packets
The Observer (UK), 1 March 2009
The UK's largest tobacco company has warned it will take legal action against the government if it introduces a law forcing the firm to package cigarettes in plain white cartons.
Blank packs "will aid black market"
The Grocer (UK), 9 June 2008
Cigarette packets with no branding or logos could damage competition and may exacerbate the illicit tobacco market, industry experts have warned.
(ii) Illicit trade in tobacco products
2.5 Million Illegally Imported Cigarettes Seized at Port of Brisbane Container Examination Facility
News4us.com (Australia), 10 March 2011
The Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor will today reveal a seizure of 2.5 million illegally imported cigarettes
Smuggled cigarettes aimed at children
Northern Echo (UK), 5 February 2011
Trading standards officials are urging the public for further help in stopping illegal tobacco sales after more than 600,000 packets of smuggled cigarettes were seized in the region.
Bootleg Russian cigarettes lined with Chinese asbestos
Metro (UK), 1 February 2011
Smokers are being warned off black market Russian import cigarettes which have been found to contain asbestos
“Terror kingpin Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair is prime suspect as dodgy cigarettes flood Scotland”
Daily Record (UK), 16 January 2011
Mobster Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair can today be exposed as the top target for crime-busters probing a huge cigarette smuggling operation.
“Norton Canes tobacco crime couple told to pay £900,000”
Express and Star (UK), 16 January 2011
A couple from Norton Canes involved in a tobacco smuggling racket must pay more than £900,000 between them by July to avoid an extension to jail sentences
“Cigarette haul worth 3m euro seized”
Sheffield Telegraph (UK), 14 January 2011
Eight million cigarettes smuggled into the country from China have been seized by customs officers and gardai. The haul, worth 3.4 million euro, was discovered in a container attached to a truck on the M1 near Drogheda, Co Louth, on Wednesday night.
“Cigarettes seized in customs raid”
Sunderland Echo (UK), 12 January 2011
More than 185,000 counterfeit cigarettes have been seized in a customs raid in Belfast.
Black market ciggies found in Hereford
Hereford Times (UK), 14 December 2010
Around 300,000 cigarettes ready for sale on the black market have been found at a flat in Hereford city centre.
The seizure is the county’s biggest such haul to date with the potential duty avoided topping £150,000.
Cheap smokes warning after thieves’ double haul
Hobart Mercury (Australia), 7 December 2010
A double heist in Hobart's northern suburbs has resulted in burglars bagging more than $30,000 worth of cigarettes in a matter of weeks. Glenorchy Criminal Investigation Branch detectives believe more than one crook was involved in the break-ins at a supermarket warehouse in Derwent Park.
Illegal cigarettes lure high schoolers
Toronto Star (Canada), 26 October 2010
Contraband cigarettes, often sold in baggies and out of vans, account for 43 per
cent of what daily smokers in high school are using, according to a new study by
the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Tobacco smugglers getting creative
The Ottawa Citizen (Canada), 14 August 2010
Contraband cigarette smugglers are using designer suitcases, wheel barrows,
hockey bags and bicycles to unload and move tobacco from boats along the St.
Lawrence River. Sgt. Michael Harvey with the Cornwall task force on contraband
cigarettes said 17 people were arrested for smuggling contraband cigarettes
between July 21 and Aug. 12.
Eight million cigarettes seized in Dublin
RTÉ (Ireland), 1 January 2010
Officers from Revenue's Custom service in Dublin this morning seized eight million cigarettes with a value of €3.1m.
Crackdown on counterfeit and underage tobacco sales
North West Evening Mail News (UK), 31 October 2009
Trading Standards has vowed to stamp down on counterfeit cigarettes and underage sales following the conviction of a man who sold fake cigarettes to kids from his ice cream van.
20 million cigarettes seized at port
East Anglia Daily Times, 13 November 2009
An estimated 20 million illegal and suspected counterfeit cigarettes have been seized after coming in Britain through the Port of Felixstowe, it emerged today.
Seizure of illegal cigarettes in Louth largest in history of State
Irish Times, 28 October 2009
The largest seizure of contraband cigarettes in Ireland was made in Greenore, County Louth, on a ship carrying up to 120 million cigarettes which had left the Philippines for Ireland last month.
EU fights flow of contraband cigarettes from east
AFP, 11 February 2010
Seizures of contraband cigarettes exploded in the European Union from 4.4 billion units in 2005 to 5.2 billion in 2008, according to the latest figures from OLAF.