‘Epidemic’ of illegal tobacco as 8m cigarettes seized

Limerick’s only licensed tobacconists is to stop selling cigarettes because of an “epidemic” of illegal trading of smuggled packs on city streets. Cahill’s in Wickham St has been trading for over 150 years. Owner, Eleanor Purcell, said: “I stock up to a 100 different brands of cigarettes. But now I find I am being driven out of the cigarette market due to the huge increase in sales of smuggled cigarettes in the city. I estimate that over the past few years my cigarette trade — which constituted 80% of my business — has plummeted to 20% of my business.”

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/epidemic-of-illegal-tobacco-as-8m-cigarettes-seized-350415.html