174 million cigarettes seized by customs since 2015

Over a period of five years, Malta Customs has seized more than 174 million cigarettes and 7,000 kilograms of tobacco, worth €43.85 million.

Customs said a KPMG survey in 2019 showed that consumption of illicit cigarettes in Malta represents 10% of the market, down from 19.1% in 2016, 17.9% in 2017, and 10.7% in 2018.

Customs said that local consumption of cigarettes and tobacco products generates €98.8 million in revenue.

“It is estimated that 90% of the local consumption is clean, and all duties and taxes thereupon are duly paid. That leaves 10% of the local market as being of illicit provenance. This amounts to €9.8 million in endangered taxes.”

Customs said that it manages to recover 3% of the illicit market, averaging €325,000 annually.

List of seizures by year:

2015

• €232,623
• Cigarettes – 803,88
• Tobacco – 505 kgs

2016

• €7,476,185
• Cigarettes – 29,680,575
• Tobacco – 303 kgs

2017

• €5,435,733
• Cigarettes – 21,687,951
• Tobacco – 220 kgs

2018

• €11,877,468
• Cigarettes – 47,022,986
• Tobacco – 2,135 kgs

2019

• €18,504,127
• Cigarettes – 73,923,822
• Tobacco – 1,465 kgs

2020

• €329,494
• Cigarettes – 747,349 (up to October 2020)
• Tobacco – 2,271 kgs (up to October 2020)