Tobacco smuggling: MPs criticise ‘lack of action’

Efforts to tackle tobacco smuggling have been hampered by a “farcical” lack of action by the government and its agencies, a committee of MPs has said. The number of illicit cigarettes smoked in the UK rose by 49% to a billion in 2012, suggesting a reduction in enforcement action, the MPs said.

The Commons home affairs select committee said the failure to deal with rogue products was “of grave concern”.

HM Revenue and Customs said tackling tobacco smuggling was “a priority”.

The committee was particularly critical of the failure to fine a single firm for deliberately oversupplying cigarettes to high-risk markets in order for them to be smuggled back to the UK.

Taxpayers lose out on around £2bn in unpaid duty because of the illegal trade.

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