Philip Morris Limited (PML) has criticised the Government for not providing adequate resources to enforcement agencies to tackle the illicit tobacco and vape trade.
This comes after National Trading Standards highlighted how more than 33 million illicit cigarettes have been seized from stores in the past year as part of Operation CeCe. The seizures also includes more than 800kg of hand rolling tobacco – with a combined revenue value of nearly £24m.
However, senior director for corporate affairs at Philip Morris Limited, Claire Jolly, said it was a “drop in the ocean”.
“Taking 33 million illegal cigarettes off the streets is a drop in the ocean - it’s less than 0.3% of the volumes we know are out there, which are robbing tax payers of £4.5 billion pounds a year.”
Jolly said the Government needed to provide more resources to Trading Standards teams in order to curb this rising issue, referencing the recent consultation on vapes that proposes the introduction of plain packaging and display bans for the category.
“Criminals have a grip on Britain’s high streets and communities – we urgently need licensing for tobacco and nicotine sales, but the government’s kicked it into the long grass. Rather than finding ways to properly resource enforcement agencies, they’re getting distracted by consultations that won’t help keep vapes out of children’s hands.”
Earlier this year, the Government allocated £30m for a multi-agency task force, spearheaded by the National Crime Agency (NCA) to focus on carrying out raids, closures and seizures over the next three years.
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