Analytics, Baltic, Crime, Custom, Legislation, Markets and Companies

The Lithuanian Customs Criminal Service notes in a press release that many neighboring countries also show a downward trend in illegal tobacco product consumption, with the market share at 12.3% in Poland and 12.8% in Estonia. 

In Latvia, however, the black market for cigarettes currently amounts to 22.8%, the largest share in the EU, up from 21.1% in the middle of this year, based on an empty pack survey. 

The Customs Criminal Service says it launched 280 pre-trial investigations regarding smuggling or unlawful possession of goods subject to excise duties in January through September 2018. 

Some 80 mln units, or 4 mln packs, of contraband cigarettes and 93 tons of illegal tobacco were seized during the nine months, with their total cost put at almost 15 ml euros. 

44% of the cigarettes were seized on the border with Belarus, 17 % on the border with Russia and 1% on the border with Latvia.  

Another 38% of smuggled cigarettes were nabbed within Lithuania, with all of the busted illegal tobacco warehouses located in areas close to the border with Poland. 

45% of all seized cigarettes had Belarusian excise stamps on them and the remaining 46% had no excise stamps, the service said.