Selling illicit tobacco is now more profitable – and carries less risks – than drug smuggling. That was the uncompromising message delivered to the SGF Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Independent Convenience Stores (January 24).
In a hard-hitting presentation given jointly by Police Scotland and HMRC, the Group was told that an ‘investment’ of £1,000 in distributing illicit tobacco provides a return of at least £40,000 – making illicit tobacco twice as profitable as drug smuggling.
The Group also heard that illicit trade is now inextricably linked to serious organised crime and that products ranging from cancer treatment medications, children’s toys and baby milk formula are all now being counterfeited. HMRC recently confiscated a shipment of three million illicit cigarettes smuggled into Scotland.
The key speaker at the CPG meeting was Kenny MacAskill, the new Chair of the Scottish Anti Illicit Trade Group. His message was just as blunt: “Make no mistake, illicit trade impacts on every sector of the economy”.
MacAskill is a former Justice Minister and during his time in office was instrumental in the initial moves to create the Anti Illicit Trade Group. His appointment to the Chair is widely expected to give the issue of illicit trade a higher political profile.
SGF Head of Public Affairs Dr John Lee said: “The CPG meeting brought the issue of illicit trade directly into the Scottish Parliament. The presentation from the enforcement agencies was a frightening insight into the scope and scale of illicit trade. We hope this is the beginning of a fuller recognition of the impact on businesses, and that illicit trade is a genuinely serious problem that brings crime into our communities.”
