Under the counterfeit
Probe shows how easy it is to get hold of cheap fake tobacco
AN INVESTIGATION has lifted the lid on how shopkeepers are freely selling fake cigarettes and tobacco in Scotland.
The illegal trade fuels organised crime – and customers are risking their health by buying the tobacco.
But these images show just how easy it is to get the fakes.
CCTV images obtained by the Record show an undercover investigator getting his hands on counterfeit tobacco from under the counter simply by asking for “cheap” fags.
After a few seconds bartering with the shopkeeper in Glasgow’s east end, the deal is done when a fake 50g pouch of rolling tobacco is handed over for £10 – around half the price of the real thing.
The footage follows a Daily Record investigation which revealed how some counterfeit cigarettes likely to end up in Scotland contained radioactive materials.
Illegal roll-your-own tobacco (RYO) and fake fags in Scotland have been found to contain asbestos, mould, dust, dead flies, rat droppings and human excrement.
Despite health warnings, 52 per cent of all smokers in Scotland bought illegal tobacco in the last year – either fakes or foreign products with no duty paid.
There are no controls on who can buy the illicit fags, so they can end up in the hands of children.
The undercover images were caught
at a newsagent shop in August. Research has confirmed that fake fags and tobacco are being punted in back streets, market stalls and pubs. For the investigation by Japan Tobacco International, 38 tobacco products were bought at 14 places in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The typical price for 20 cigarettes was £7, with some as low at £5. Prices ranged from £5-7 for 50g of RYO. For those buying in bulk, some sellers sold larger amounts at a discounted price of £3 for 50g of RYO. UK Government figures show illegal tobacco makes up around 13 per cent of the cigarette market and 32 per cent of RYO sales across Britain.
It means around £2.4billion of lost tax revenue in 2015-16 – enough to build another Queensferry Crossing and still have £1billion left over.
In a survey of smokers, only 47 per cent said they were worried about getting in trouble with the law and 36 per cent were concerned that they might be funding organised criminal gangs.
Steve Wilkins, JTI’s anti-illegal trade operations director and a former detective chief superintendent, said: “Smokers buying cheap fake cigarettes and tobacco on the streets of Scotland may be getting more than they bargain for.
“The link of illegal tobacco to serious and organised crime is very real and together with the crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers, JTI hope to rid our streets of illegal tobacco and stop criminals infiltrating our communities.
“We urge local residents to work with community groups and trading standards to eradicate this type of activity.
“The vast majority of retailers help to ensure that children do not get hold of tobacco products. The criminals who sell illegal tobacco will sell to all comers, including children.
“The availability of cheap illegal tobacco across the UK is damaging local communities and along with retailers, suppliers and the Government, we all have a role to play to combat the issue.
“Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
JTI are liaising with the Scottish Anti-Illicit Trade Group (SAITG) over the fakes.
SAITG include Police Scotland, HMRC, Trading Standards, the UK Intellectual Property Office and Border Force.
An HMRC spokesman said: “Anyone handling illicit tobacco products can receive penalties up to 100 per cent of the value of tax evaded.
“In the last two financial years, over 3.1billion of illicit cigarettes and over 600tons of hand-rolling tobacco have been seized, resulting in more than 800 prosecutions.
“Illicit tobacco products are sold through pubs, clubs, the internet, at car boot sales and from people’s homes.
“This makes tobacco far more accessible to children.”