Cigarettes

A few years have passed since the former Cooperative Greek Tobacco Industry, also known as SEKAP, was “sinking” under the weight of huge accumulated debts, following the fate of its main shareholder, ATE Bank, while the revelation of the smuggling case had preceded it, when the discovery of a ship in Edipsos with cigarettes of the company served as the end of the thread.

Bulgaria has the lowest excise tax on cigarettes in the European Union, with a rate of just 1.92 euros per pack of 20 cigarettes. This contrasts sharply with Ireland, where the highest excise duty is imposed at 9.92 euros per pack, followed by the Netherlands at 7.66 euros and France at 7.45 euros.

Customs inspectors at Athens International Airport seized 14,700 smuggled cartons of cigarettes. 

Bulgarian customs officials intercepted a clandestine smuggling operation involving over 3,000 packs of cigarettes ingeniously concealed within loaves of bread near the Danube Bridge in Vidin.

European governments are weighing the introduction of tougher rules on cigarette makers' new zero-tobacco heat sticks, moving to close the loopholes they were designed to exploit just months after their launch.

Slim cigarettes are no longer available in Slovenian stores after health inspectors found the packaging was not in line with the relevant EU directive. Smokers are upset and confused, writes the newspaper Delo.

The directive states that the health warning labels must be at least twenty millimetres wide, which is a requirement that slim cigarette packs did not meet.

By treating heated tobacco products the same as regular cigarettes, the Health Ministry is attempting to make them "unattractive."

The Health Ministry has drawn up changes to tobacco legislation to further restrict access to tobacco and nicotine products, a move welcomed by public health experts.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on June 23 said it was ordering all products produced by Juul Labs off the market after finding the vaping giant had failed to address certain safety concerns.

The decision, which Juul said it would appeal, clears the way for rival brands to increase their share of the market it once dominated.

Montenegrin Customs officers seize tobacco in the Port of Bar. Photo: Government of Montenegro

The Customs Office said it seized eight containers with 4,000 boxes of tobacco owned by a US company, Lenora International, registered in the US state of Delaware.