Contraband Cigarettes Research Articles

Determination of Nicotine in Cigarette Tobacco Smuggled to Brazil by Modified QuEChERS Methodology

The study of cigarette authenticity in Brazil is important due to increasing consumption of contraband cigarettes. Nicotine concentration is an important parameter reflecting the quality of tobacco used in the production of these cigarettes. Simple methods for this determination, which produce reduced waste, are environmentally and industrially important. The nicotine concentration of smuggled cigarette tobacco was determined by the QuEChERS method, requiring some modifications, such as decreasing the volume of the extractor solvent, changes in pH, and removal of the sample hydration step. Quantification was performed by gas chromatography using a flame ionization detector. The Doehlert matrix design was used to optimize the method. The extraction recoveries ranged from 97.5% to 99.6%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤ 2.5% and limits of detection and quantification of 0.6 mg L-1 and 2.5 mg L-1, respectively. The method was sensitive and accurate for the detection and quantification of nicotine. The nicotine concentration in contraband cigarettes was found to be lower than that observed in legal cigarettes. The method was successfully applied to real samples of smuggled and legal cigarettes, providing a robust method for routine analysis and proving the need for more studies on quality control of smuggled cigarettes in Brazil.

Factors of contraban cigarettes smuggling in Malaysia

The Royal Malaysian Customs Department takes seriously the issue related to cigarette smuggling activities which due to the study conducted put the smuggled cigarette market and the sale of smuggled cigarettes in this country is the largest in the world. This study aims to examine the issues related to cigarette smuggling in Malaysia. The research methodology is to use the library research method. The findings of the study are based on previous studies. This study focuses on the factors of smuggling in Malaysia. The results of the study can list the main factors that contribute to the widespread smuggling of cigarettes in Malaysia. The findings of this study on the factor of cigarette smuggling can be used as a guide to further improve control and enforcement at the country's entrances. The implementation of research rpelated to the type and form of punishment that can be imposed on those convicted of smuggling prohibited goods, especially contraband cigarettes. The second is the formation of a police community consisting of the general public.

Cigarette Ssmuggling and Corruption in Ukraine: Current Challenges and New Trends

Considering the current problems associated with cigarette smuggling, the authors of the article highlight new challenges that arise in connection with the growing volume of counterfeit and contraband cigarettes smuggled to the European Union (EU) from Ukraine. One of the main reasons behind this trend is the continuation of the conflict in Ukraine, which exacerbates the economic situation, accompanied by an increase in unemployment due to the destruction of production capacities and infrastructure, the breakdown of economic and social ties between different parts of Ukraine, and the weakening of the financial, banking, transportation, and communication systems. Conflict and widespread corruption in public and law enforcement agencies are creating new challenges related to the current crisis of counterfeit and contraband cigarettes of Ukrainian origin. These challenges require the Ukrainian government to implement new measures to combat cigarette smuggling. In this regard, the authors of the article pay special attention to various anti-smuggling measures, including increasing excise taxes, anti-corruption programs, and cooperation with European customs and law enforcement authorities. It is noted that the initiatives of the State Border Guard Service and the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine to combat smuggling are hampered by the continuing instability and lack of resources. This poses obvious challenges in strengthening the necessary infrastructure to continue the fight against cigarette smuggling. Obviously, successful anti-smuggling programs will require additional funding, human resources and technical support from the relevant authorities, as well as greater integrity among their staff. The article indicates that until the negative socio-economic consequences of the current crisis have been overcome, the illegal flows of tobacco products from Ukraine to the EU will remain high.

Contraband Cigarette Purchasing from First Nation reserves in Ontario and Quebec: Findings from the 2002–2014 ITC Canada Survey

Backround: The availability of contraband cigarettes provides incentives for price-sensitive smokers to reduce their monetary costs of smoking. The objectives of this study were to examine whether Canadian smokers’ geographic proximity to First Nations reserves and attempts to quit smoking influenced the likelihood of purchasing lower-cost cigarettes from reserves. Methods: Data were from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Canada Survey, a prospective survey of Canadian adult smokers conducted from 2002 to 2014 using telephone and online interviewing methods. Analysis was restricted to smokers from Ontario (n=2105) and Quebec (n=1427) participating in at least one survey wave. Smokers’ postal codes were used to calculate distance to the nearest reserve. Weighted logistic generalised estimating equations (GEE) regression examined the linear relationship between distance and the log odds of last purchasing cigarettes on reserve in each province. GEE models also examined the relationship between past-year quit attempts and the log odds of on-reserve purchasing. Results: Controlling for other factors, from 2002–2014, smokers from Ontario who lived 10 km closer to reserves than otherwise similar smokers had significantly higher odds of last purchasing on reserve (OR ranged from 1.16 to 1.65). Distance had little effect on smokers’ purchasing behaviours in Quebec. Moreover, in Ontario, for every 10 km increase in distance, smokers who did not try to quit had significantly greater odds of purchasing from a reserve than smokers who tried to quit (p=0.002). Conclusion: In order for tobacco taxation policies to achieve their maximal benefit, governments must limit potential sources of lower-cost cigarettes. Collaborative governance arrangements can ensure tobacco products sold on reserve to non-Indigenous people are appropriately taxed while allowing First Nations communities to keep the revenue generated by such taxes.

Tobacco use and smoking behaviors of individuals with a serious mental illness.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of tobacco use and overall smoking behaviors within a sample of individuals with a serious mental illness who were homeless or vulnerably housed and receiving community mental health services. In 2010, individuals (N = 639) were interviewed, and identified smokers completed the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and additional questions related to their smoking behaviors. Tobacco use prevalence was 72%, and 62% of smokers had high or very high levels of nicotine dependence. Smoking behaviors included smoking contraband cigarettes (47%) and smoking cigarettes remade from discarded cigarette butts (25%). Smokers were found to be over 9 times as likely to have a co-occurring substance use disorder. Significant tobacco prevalence and dependency in this population highlights the need to provide integrated treatment opportunities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Levels and trends in cigarette contraband in Canada

BackgroundThere is overwhelming evidence that increases in tobacco taxes reduce tobacco use, save lives and increase government tax revenue. High taxes, however, create an incentive to devise ways to avoid...

Hezbollah’s Global Tentacles: A Relational Approach to Convergence with Transnational Organized Crime

ABSTRACTThat terrorists, criminals, and their facilitators exploit the global marketplace is well known. While the global movement of illicit goods is well documented, robust empirical evidence linking terrorism and organized crime remains elusive. This article posits Network Science as a means of making these links more apparent. As a critical case study, Hezbollah is quite possibly the most mature globalized terrorist organization, although it thinks of itself as the “Party of God.” However, the means seem to justify the ends: this article shows that Hezbollah’s holy men have no qualms about resorting to pornography, contraband cigarettes, immigration fraud, and credit card fraud to raise funds. Beyond establishing links, Social Network Analysis reveals other important characteristics, such as the relative autonomy from Hezbollah headquarters that local fundraising networks enjoy. That finding implies a paradigm shift: Hezbollah is no less a terrorist organization than an organized crime syndicate. This is apparent in a network’s structure. Transnational Organized Crime is typically about nodes being connected to many others in the network. Yet, Hezbollah fundraising networks allow such connectivity because of the group’s typically high levels of mutual trust and familial relationships. This creates a vulnerability that can be exploited by law enforcement and intelligence organizations.

The Intended and Unintended Consequences of a Legal Measure to Cut the Flow of Illegal Cigarettes Into New York City: The Case of the South Bronx

We examined the impact of a change in New York tax law on the numbers of untaxed cigarettes bootlegged from Native American reservations and resold in the South Bronx. Discarded cigarette packs were systematically collected in 30 randomized South Bronx census tracks before and after the amended tax law went into effect in 2011. Also, administrative data were gathered on the number of taxed cigarettes sold in New York State, including sales to Native American reservations. Before the tax amendment, 42% of discarded cigarette packs collected in the South Bronx had no tax stamp. After the tax law went into effect, the percentage of cigarette packs without tax stamps declined to 6.2%. Simultaneously, the percentage of packs with out-of-state tax stamps rose from 18.3% to 66.3%. The percentage of packs with a combined New York State and New York City tax stamp did not change after the tax amendment. After the tax amendment, the supply of contraband cigarettes appears to have quickly shifted from one lower-priced jurisdiction to another without a change in the overall prevalence of contraband cigarettes.

Excise tax differences at Oklahoma smoke shops: an opportunity for inter-tribal coordination.

Oklahoma's tribal tobacco shops are distributed throughout the state, including in urban areas. During the time frame of this study, state excise tax rates for cigarettes varied by tribe and region, and took five distinct levels, ranging from 5.75 cents to $1.03 per pack. To describe the pricing behavior of these smoke shops in a way that could support potential increases in the tribal taxation of cigarettes within the state. Two waves (2010 and 2011) of site visits were conducted, covering nearly all tribal smoke shops in the northeastern quarter of the state, an area containing the city of Tulsa and 60% of all tribal outlets. Researchers recorded representative prices and verified the tax rate paid (via tax stamp) for each shop. Data were analyzed in 2013. Lower-taxed tribal cigarettes tended to be priced at discounts that were even greater than the differential in tax rates. For example, across waves, the average pack of Marlboros from a shop with a 5.75-cent tax stamp sold for 52 cents less than the same pack from a 25.75-cent shop and 60 cents less than from a 51.5-cent shop. The minimal inter-tribal price response to the discontinuation of large quantities of contraband cigarette sales suggests that inter-tribal price competition in the Tulsa area is not as intense as expected. Ample scope exists for either unilateral or coordinated cross-tribal tax and price increases that will increase tribal cigarette tax revenue collections and improve public health.

Association between contraband tobacco and illicit drug use among high school students in Canada.

A particularly challenging issue to tobacco cessation efforts is the availability of contraband cigarettes. While studies have linked contraband tobacco to smoking initiation and poor cessation outcomes, little is known about its association with illicit drug use among adolescents. We examine the association between contraband tobacco and illicit drug use among adolescent students using a national representative sample of 2,136 current smoker students in grades 9-12 from the 2010-2011 Youth Smoking Survey. About 31 % of adolescent current smokers in grades 9-12 use contraband cigarettes. Prevalence in the use of illicit drugs ranged from 9 to 37 %, with MDMA being the most commonly used drug. Adjusted logistic regression revealed that smokers of contraband cigarettes, when compared with non-contraband cigarette smokers, were more likely to use cocaine (OR 2.14; CI 1.29-3.56), heroin (OR 7.92; CI 3.00-20.91), amphetamines (OR 4.25; CI 2.07-8.74), MDMA (OR 2.00; CI 1.25-3.19), hallucinogens (OR 2.18; CI 1.34-3.55), and ketamine (OR 3.48; CI 1.61-7.54). This paper adds to the existing evidence of the negative effects of contraband tobacco by showing that adolescent contraband smokers are more likely to use illicit drugs. Given the addictive nature of these drugs and the potential for such behavior to spill over into adulthood, more efforts should be invested in addressing this problem.

A comparative assessment of the price, brands and pack characteristics of illicitly traded cigarettes in five cities and towns in South Africa

ObjectiveThe prevalence of illicitly traded cigarettes in South Africa has been reported to be 40–50%. However, these estimates do not account for the more nuanced characteristics of the illicit cigarette...

Determination of Metal Ions in Contraband Cigarettes in Brazil

In Brazil, one out of each four cigarettes consumed by the smokers is smuggled. These cigarettes do not go through quality control and can present potential risk to their consumers. In this study, the flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) of metal ions Cu, Mn, Zn, Co, Cr, Cd, Pb, Fe, Ag and Ni was carried out in cigarettes of 18 different brands, which are the most smuggled into the country. The results obtained revealed that in all 18 brands of cigarettes analyzed, the values of metal ions under study appeared in higher concentrations when compared to similar studies found in the literature, with values up to eleven times higher for very toxic metals such as Cr, Ni, Cd and Pb.

Cigarette Packaging: Youth Perceptions of “Natural” Cigarettes, Filter References, and Contraband Tobacco

The current study examined youth perceptions of appeal and harm of cigarette packaging with "natural" tobacco descriptors and references to filtration, as well as contraband tobacco in generic packaging. In a between-group experiment, 7,647 youth were randomized to view a pair of cigarette packages and rate perceptions of appeal and relative risk. The findings indicate that packages with "natural" descriptors were rated as significantly more appealing and less harmful. Packages with filter references were rated as significantly less harmful, whereas contraband cigarettes were rated as significantly less appealing than leading brands. The findings suggest that cigarette packaging can enhance the appeal of cigarettes and may promote false beliefs about the reduced harm of brands. The lower appeal of contraband cigarettes suggests that other factors, such as reduced price and ease of access, likely account for contraband use among youth.

Association between use of contraband tobacco and smoking cessation outcomes: a population-based cohort study

High tobacco prices, typically achieved through taxation, are an evidence-based strategy to reduce tobacco use. However, the presence of inexpensive contraband tobacco could undermine this effective intervention by providing an accessible alternative to quitting. We assessed whether the use of contraband tobacco negatively affects smoking cessation outcomes. We evaluated data from 2786 people who smoked, aged 18 years or older, who participated in the population-based longitudinal Ontario Tobacco Survey. We analyzed associations between use of contraband tobacco and smoking cessation outcomes (attempting to quit, 30-d cessation and long-term cessation at 1 yr follow-up). Compared with people who smoked premium or discount cigarettes, people who reported usually smoking contraband cigarettes at baseline were heavier smokers, perceived greater addiction, identified more barriers to quitting and were more likely to have used pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. People who smoked contraband cigarettes were less likely to report a period of 30-day cessation during the subsequent 6 months (adjusted relative risk [RR] 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.61) and 1 year (adjusted RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.14-0.61), but they did not differ significantly from other people who smoked regarding attempts to quit (at 6 mo, adjusted RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.43-1.20) or long-term cessation (adjusted RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.04-1.34). Smoking contraband cigarettes was negatively associated with short-term smoking cessation. Access to contraband tobacco may therefore undermine public health efforts to reduce the use of tobacco at the population level.

Zigarettenpreise, Tabaksteuern und der Anteil an Schmuggelzigaretten in Deutschland

Taxes on tobacco products are among the most efficient instruments against tobacco consumption and the arising cost of illness associated with them. The main argument of the tobacco industry against increases of excise taxes on cigarettes is a presumed substitution effect of smokers turning from consumption of legal cigarettes to smuggled ones. Besides deriving this proposition from the tobacco industry's own funded research, it has never been tested empirically. This article analyses the interdependence between contraband cigarettes and cigarette prices in Germany. Using VAR-modelling on the time-series of the variables of interest, we find no empirically valid correlation or causation between prices and untaxed contraband cigarettes. Furthermore, we find a positive relationship between contraband and legal taxed cigarettes, i. e., when the demand for legal cigarettes decreased in amount, so did the quantity of untaxed cigarettes. We conclude that the proposed relationship between prices and smuggled cigarettes as well as an overall substitution effect among smokers is non-existent. This has important implications for public health policy. The proposition that higher taxes on tobacco products incur social costs from increased smuggling activity cannot be corroborated empirically. Furthermore, this finding should encourage public health policy to keep using tobacco taxes as an instrument for prevention.

A Taxing Dilemma: Assessing the Impact of Tax and Price Changes on the Tobacco Market

Sales of contraband cigarettes in Canada constitute a sizable component of the tobacco market. This illegal trade is associated with a loss in tax revenue and an array of illicit activities that involve gangs and organized crime. Various policy responses have been called for to counter this state of affairs. Increased policing and controls have resulted in the market share of the illegal product declining significantly to about 20 percent in 2010 from about one-third two years earlier. In addition to allocating more resources in order to control the problem, governments have been urged to lower tobacco taxes in the belief that lower relative prices for the legal product will induce smokers to switch in significant numbers away from the illegal supply source, perhaps also increasing tax revenues. This report analyzes the impact of tax and price changes on the composition of the cigarette market in the context of a demand-driven analytical model, in which smokers shift between legal and illegal products to a significant degree.

Factors associated with different cigarette access behaviours among underage smoking youth who usually smoke contraband (native) cigarettes.

Given that little is known about how youth access contraband cigarettes, the current study seeks to examine factors associated with how underage smoking youth report usually accessing contraband cigarettes. This study used nationally representative data collected from 41,886 students (grades 9 to 12) as part of the 2006-07 Canadian Youth Smoking Survey (YSS). Using data from current smokers who report that their usual brand of cigarettes is contraband, three logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with buying cigarettes from a store, getting cigarettes from a family member, or getting cigarettes from friends or strangers. In 2006, 7.9% (n = 1 3,300) of Canadian youth who were current smokers reported that their usual brand of cigarettes was contraband. Among these youth, the majority reported that they usually get their cigarettes from a friend or stranger (54.8%), whereas 26.4% report usually getting them from a family member and 18.8% usually buying their own from a store. Boys were more likely to buy contraband cigarettes from a store, whereas youth with a parent who smokes contraband cigarettes were substantially more likely to get contraband cigarettes from a family member and youth with friends who smoke contraband cigarettes were substantially more likely to get contraband cigarettes from a friend or stranger. Ongoing surveillance of contraband cigarette use among youth and how youth access contraband cigarettes is required for guiding future tobacco control policy and programming activities.

Factors Associated with Different Cigarette Access Behaviours Among Underage Smoking Youth Who Usually Smoke Contraband (Native) Cigarettes

Objectives: Given that little is known about how youth access contraband cigarettes, the current study seeks to examine factors associated with how underage smoking youth report usually accessing contraband cigarettes. Methods: This study used nationally representative data collected from 41,886 students (grades 9 to 12) as part of the 2006–07 Canadian Youth Smoking Survey (YSS). Using data from current smokers who report that their usual brand of cigarettes is contraband, three logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with buying cigarettes from a store, getting cigarettes from a family member, or getting cigarettes from friends or strangers. Results: In 2006, 7.9% (n=13,300) of Canadian youth who were current smokers reported that their usual brand of cigarettes was contraband. Among these youth, the majority reported that they usually get their cigarettes from a friend or stranger (54.8%), whereas 26.4% report usually getting them from a family member and 18.8% usually buying their own from a store. Boys were more likely to buy contraband cigarettes from a store, whereas youth with a parent who smokes contraband cigarettes were substantially more likely to get contraband cigarettes from a family member and youth with friends who smoke contraband cigarettes were substantially more likely to get contraband cigarettes from a friend or stranger. Conclusion: Ongoing surveillance of contraband cigarette use among youth and how youth access contraband cigarettes is required for guiding future tobacco control policy and programming activities.

Economic Preconditions and Consequences of Contraband


 The phenomenon of perpetually existing con­traband draws attention of both the public and au­thorities. This is part of black economy, while black economy itself is a phenomenon that is neither new nor characteristic of a certain economic system. The nature of black economy is destructive as its existence
 contradicts to public order and interests. Black econo­my avoids state taxes; therefore, the State – in order to collect funds required for national needs – is forced to increase taxes imposed on those who do pay them. Hence, since some avoid paying taxes, while others assume a heavier tax burden, this results in unequal economic conditions for legal and illegal business and distorts conditions for fair competition.
 The theoretical study of the problem of contra­band is linked to the problem of tax evasion; it reveals stimuli for making a decision not to pay taxes. The decision of each individual to pay or not to pay taxes determines the scope of tax evasion. Adopting a deci­sion not to pay taxes, one faces uncertainty; any indi­vidual knows that tax evasion is illegal and subject to punishment in case this comes to light. Therefore, the economics of crime gives initial knowledge about the process of making such decisions.
 The major part of contraband is comprised of goods subject to excise duties – alcohol, tobacco, and fuel. One of the factors influencing contraband is great difference in prices in Lithuania and neighbour­ing countries from which contraband comes. For ex­ample, contraband cigarettes on the domestic market are approximately three times cheaper than those sold legally. The largest part of these contraband goods comes from neighbouring states – the Russian Federation and Belarus.
 The main negative consequences of contra­band are as follows: a relative reduction in annual government revenue; a general deterioration in eco­nomic subordination, which reduces the ability of the government to adopt rational solutions and predict their consequences; insufficient accuracy of provision of social assistance since even those who earn large income from illegal activity may receive it; natural and legal persons tend not to observe existing rules, and the failure to observe the rules may become a norm.

Problems, policies and politics: A comparative case study of contraband tobacco from the 1990s to the present in the Canadian context

Contraband tobacco has been and continues to be a global public health policy concern, with special manifestations in Canada. Over the past 20 years, in two noteworthy instances the Canadian government has battled contraband - in the early 1990s, and for much of the past decade. In the 1990s, when contraband cigarettes flooded the Canadian market, the government rapidly responded, using policy measures such as implementing a tobacco export tax and cutting domestic sales tax. Unfortunately, contraband made a strong comeback in recent years, but this time the government has hesitated to act, owing to a change in the source of the contraband. Using John Kingdon's streams theory to frame our arguments, we suggest that lack of congruence between different policy stakeholder groups' perceptions of the problem, policy solutions, and political feasibility has road-blocked the implementation of anti-contraband policy in the 2000s.