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Supt. Derek Simmonds, Director Customs and Excise Branch RCMP Headquarters. Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Strategy. “A Taxing Issue” Public Health and Contraband Tobacco Buffalo, NY, February 4 th , 2008. Outline. Current Situation Trends Strategic Direction. ILLICIT TOBACCO.
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Supt. Derek Simmonds,DirectorCustoms and Excise BranchRCMP Headquarters
Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Strategy “A Taxing Issue” Public Health and Contraband Tobacco Buffalo, NY, February 4th, 2008
Outline • Current Situation • Trends • Strategic Direction
ILLICIT TOBACCO • Approx 30% of cigarettes smoked in Ontario & Quebec are from an illicit source • Unbranded (baggies) illicit cigarettes are the most prominent packaging format • Price is the main motivation for purchasing discount cigarettes • Perception of legality • Counterfeit tobacco and Cultural specialty tobacco also present
Canadian Pricing per Carton Legitimate vs Contraband Range $70 to $90. Legitimate Contraband As Low as $ 5 per Carton / Carton Equivalent
348,134 200 Gm Units … 69,627 KG (152,501 Lbs or 76.75 Tons)
Illicit Trade: Sources • Domestic Illicit Manufactured • U.S. based Illicit Manufactured and Smuggled into Canada • Other Foreign manufactured tobacco products smuggled into Canada (legitimate & Counterfeit) • Stolen (e.g. thefts, hijackings)
Illicit Trade: Consequences • Compromised Public Safety • Contributes to growth of organized crime • Erodes respect for society and its laws • Funds other criminal activities • Impacts efforts to reduce tobacco related disease • Reduces pubic revenues • Unfair competition
Trends • Illicit tobacco at a historical high • Organized crime involvement • No longer a market of diversion • Re-sealable bags of 200 cigarettes • Illicit manufacturing in Canada and U.S. • Proliferation of Smoke Shacks • Emergence of counterfeit cigarettes
RCMP Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Strategy • To Reduce the Availability of, and Demand for, Contraband Tobacco On line: http://www.rcmp.ca/fio/tobacco_strategy_2008_e.htm
Meeting the Challenge • Disrupt Organized Crime and the Supply Chain • Coordination, Collaboration and Partnership Development • Outreach • Effective Use and Allocation of Resources
Meeting the Challenge • Impact Crime through Education and Awareness • Contribute to the Development of Legislative and Regulatory Tools • Conducting Research • Employee Selection and Development
Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd (ITCL) & Rothmans Benson and Hedges (RBH): GuiltyPlea (July 2008). Charges relate to illegalactivitiesbetween 1989 & 1999: Diversion of tobaccoproducts to the USA and smuggled back to Canada. Settlements
RBH: Fine: $100,000,000. Civil settlement: $450,000,000 ITCL: Fine: $200,000,000. Civil settlement: $400,000,000 Settlementincludes compensation and participation in the Tobacco ComplianceMeasures Program, from Canada Revenue Agency. Settlements
Supt. Derek Simmonds Director Customs and Excise Branch RCMP Headquarters
Wednesday-Thursday February 4-5, 2009 Center for Tomorrow University at Buffalo Buffalo, New York