The black market for cigarettes in Romania decreased in September to 9.6% of total consumption, compared to 11.9% in July, data published on Thursday show.
According to the Novel research, in the first month of autumn this year, there are reductions in illicit trade in almost all regions of the country. Thus, the most significant decrease is noted in the southwest area, by 8.5 percentage points, compared to September, to 10%, while in the western region smuggling decreases by 5.1 percentage points, to 10.1%, compared to the previous research.
On the other hand, in the southern area of the country, an increase of 5.1 percentage points in illegal trade was recorded, up to 16.2%, in September.
In terms of product origin, the first source for the black market in Romania remains Bulgaria - with 35.2% (+0.6%, compared to July), followed by Duty Free - with 26.3% and the Republic of Moldova - with 18.4%.
"The mandate that I received from the Ministry of Finance through Minister Alexandru Nazare is clear: modernizing and streamlining the Romanian Customs Authority. This involves combating corruption, fraud, evasion, smuggling and at the same time increasing revenues to the state budget. In this regard, work has begun at the Constanta South border customs office to arrange the space to ensure radiological protection in order to install the new fixed X-ray scanning system for goods transport vehicles (trucks/containers). This system will be put into operation by the end of November 2025, and by the end of 2025, another X-ray scanning system for goods transport vehicles (trucks and containers) will be put into operation at BVF Isaccea," the president of the Customs Authority said in a press release. Romanian, Alexandru Bogdan Balan.
In turn, the Inspector General of the Border Police, Chief Police Quaestor Cornel Laurian Stoica, mentioned that, in the first nine months of the year, approximately 5.1 million packs of cigarettes were confiscated, with an estimated value of over 100 million lei.
"At the same time, during the same period, over 63 tons of bulk tobacco and approximately 23 kilograms of hookah tobacco were seized for confiscation. These are figures that reflect the large-scale actions and constant activity of our workers, who are on the front line in combating a phenomenon that brings serious damage to the budget and society. It is a permanent struggle in which the results are seen every day, with each discovery made by the border police," Stoica emphasized.
At the same time, Romanian Police data show that, this year, by the end of September, 16 organized criminal groups were dismantled and over 97 million cigarettes and over 3.1 tons of tobacco originating from illicit activities were discovered.
Tobacco companies, which are in the category of large taxpayers, annually transfer over 22 billion RON to the state budget, representing excise duties, VAT and other taxes and contributions.
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