Webinar 20/2020: Illicit trade of tobacco products

Illicit trade of tobacco products is an ongoing criminal phenomenon in Europe affecting all countries. While main forms of tobacco fraud are unchanged nowadays there is strong shift towards illegal manufacturing of cigarettes within the EU and the smuggling of illicit whites through the Eastern border. The change of trend is clear though smuggling of genuine and counterfeit products concealed in maritime containers also remain significant.

The overall objective of this webinar is to showcase the variety of illicit tobacco trade by demonstrating case studies from three EU Member States. Owing to their very different geographical exposure to cigarette crime we will be able to cover most of the main forms of illegal cigarette trade such as illegal manufacturing within the EU, cross-border smuggling (bootlegging), tobacco fraud via the fraudulent exploitation of transit procedures, contraband via maritime trade by using cover loads etc.

The contributing experts from Portugal, Latvia and Romania will demonstrate current operational working methods describing collection and analysis of intelligence, covert and open investigative steps and asset recovery measures. Special attention will be paid on difficulties and opportunities of cross border cooperation as well as on benefits of collaboration with the tobacco industry.