Tobacco.org

Customs seize cigarettes in adapted goods vehicle 

Customs arrested a Latvian national as he attempted to drive a Spanish registered goods vehicle out of Gibraltar via the commercial gate.

Roman RIMDJONOKS, a 34 year old resident of Fuengirola, Spain was arrested on Friday after Customs Officers searched the vehicle and found 78,040 cigarettes

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THREE PERSONS ARRESTED IN POLICE TOBACCO RAID 

As a result of an ongoing operation being carried out by the Royal Gibraltar Police into the contravention of retail tobacco licences by some premises, a shop at Governor's Street was raided and a total of 189380 cigarettes ,approx 19 cases, were seized. Two Spanish Nationals and one local man were arrested for being in breach of a tobacco retail licence. One of these men is a director of the shop.

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Shop raided, tobacco seized and arrests made 

As a result of an ongoing operation being carried out by the Royal Gibraltar Police into the contravention of retail tobacco licences by some premises, a shop at Governor’s Street was raided and a total of 189,380 cigarettes (approx 19 boxes) were seized.

Two Spanish Nationals and one local man were arrested for being in breach of a tobacco retail licence. One of these men is a director of the said shop.

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Four Corners tobacco seizure 

Customs stopped a Spanish registered vehicle at Four Corners station yesterday and seized a substantial quantity of contraband cigarettes. The vehicle had been seen by officers first entering, then subsequently leaving, the queue of traffic heading to Spain.

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Cigarette seizures by Customs 

Customs sy they stopped a Spanish registered vehicle at Four Corners (Land Frontier) station which had been seen by Officers first entering, then subsequently leaving, the queue of traffic heading to Spain.

The vehicle was searched and a commercial quantity of cigarettes found concealed therein. The driver of the vehicle, a 25 year old Spanish national, was arrested and later released on bail until January 26th; the vehicle and 9,200 cigarettes have been seized by HM Customs.

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Tobacco gang nabbed  

The Guardia Civil has arrested a gang that sold contraband tobacco from Gibraltar, Andorra and the Canaries throughout Spain.

Nine persons were arrested in Seville and officers seized 12,350 cartons of tobacco, nine cars and E240,000 in cash.

"The gang introduced large quantities of tobacco from the Canaries, Gibraltar and Andorra into Spain, and sold it throughout the peninsula but especially in Andalucía and Galicia," the Guardia Civil said in a statement.

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• RGP STEP UP OPERATIONS CONCERNING TOBACCO SMUGGLING 

In the last three days a total of seven persons have been arrested and a total of 60600 cigarettes have been seized.

During the past weeks there has been an increase in instances of smuggling cigarettes into Spain especially via Eastern Beach, as a result of this a number of operations have been conducted by the RGP in the said area and also at Western Beach. These operations have been successful and in the last three days a total of seven persons have been arrested and a total of 60600 cigarettes have been seized. A break down of each case is as follows:

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• Smoking them out in Gibraltar  

• THRIVING: TOBACCO SMUGGLING ON THE BORDER IS ON THE INCREASE AGAIN AMID THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

“THERE you go look, they’re smugglers over there, you can spot them a mile off.”

The Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP) officer is pointing in the direction of a small group of youths on mopeds huddled round conspicuously, in full view of the Gibraltar frontier.

In the UK they might be referred to as ‘hoodies’ – their hooded sweat tops pulled tightly over their heads giving a distinct sense of menace.

Here, they are known simply as ‘smugglers,’ in a word synonymous with this border for centuries, …and they are apparently almost part of the furniture.

“They come back and forth over the border several times a day taking cartons of cigarettes into Spain,” continues my source, who has been in the job ‘for years’ and is speaking on condition of anonymity. . . .

Tobacco smuggling is a big problem in Gibraltar, with organised gangs reselling the Rock’s duty-free cigarettes for a profit, over the border in Spain and further afield.

Legally, you are allowed to take a maximum of one carton of 200 cigarettes across the border from Gibraltar into Spain each month.

In reality however, scores of people are smuggling across their annual allowance in the space of a day, motivated by the prospect of making a profit of three or four euros from each carton.

The issue is not a new one in Gibraltar.

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Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801 

Customs make arrest and seize cigarettes

At around 6:30 a.m. yesterday Gibraltar customs officers stopped a local man, the driver of a locally registered car, as he drove north along Winston Churchill Avenue.

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Smugglers throw stones from Spain after Gib Customs seize 40,000 cigarettes 

During a routine shore patrol by Customs at Eastern Beach, a man was seen acting suspiciously near the frontier fence. On being approached by the two Customs Officers, the man made his way towards Spain.

A pursuit ensued which then saw the two officers give chase to a group of six men who had been hiding in amongst the rocks with several master cases of cigarettes.

Although the group made good their escape, officers were able to seize four cases (containing 10,000 cigarettes each) from the beach, sea and amongst the rocks.

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Revocation of Tobacco Licence 

The retail tobacco licence of Monalisa Ltd of 130 Main Street, including its storage premises at 12/2 Pitman's Alley has been revoked by the Collector of Customs, following the conviction of one of its directors under the Tobacco Act 1997.

Mr Dheeraj Punjabi was convicted at the Magistrates Court for being knowingly concerned in the sale of tobacco in breach of a condition of a retail licence and of unlawful transportation of tobacco in a commercial quantity and was fined £500.

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• Expats offered rewards for information about tobacco smugglers 

BRITISH expats are being offered cash rewards for information about suspected tobacco smugglers.

The HM Revenue & Customs campaign aims to clamp down on illegal imports of cigarettes to Spain - many of which come via the Gibraltar border.

Around 225 million cigarettes and several tonnes of tobacco destined for the UK have been seized in Spain over the last year.

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PDP on quality of life and better services 

The PDP have launched their key commitments under their electoral pledges to improve the quality of life for citizens, use the environment sustainably and improve public services.

The commitments being announced span wide policy fields including housing, the environment, heritage, transport, health, social services and public administration.

There are numerous policy measures being announced the policy detail of which will be in the PDP Manifesto which will be published this week.

Among the commitments being announced are: . . .

· A ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces

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Call for action on smoking 

We the GMDA(Gibraltar Medical and Dental Association) fully endorse the views of the seven cancer charities (Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar, Cancer Research UK Gibraltar Branch, Gibraltar Society for Cancer Relief, Leukaemia Research Fund, Pathway through Pain, Prostate Cancer Support Group Gibraltar and RICC) which have come forward to express their support for a change in the law regarding smoking in public places and give our full backing to such measures.

As doctors and dentists we witness first hand the devastating effects of smoking-related harms on our patients and therefore we have a vital role in providing information to our patients about the risks of smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS). . . .

In conclusion the GMDA calls for

1. Action to introduce comprehensive smoke-free laws in indoor public places, work places and public transport.

2. Action in the levels of smoking in Gibraltar and to protect our children from taking up this deadly habit.

There is, however, much more to do to reduce the burden of tobacco on individuals and society.

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• TOBACCO RECYCLING LAW PASSED, CIVIL SERVICE PENSIONS REFORMED 

New legislation approved unanimously by Parliament yesterday will allow the Gibraltar Government to resell stocks of cigarettes seized from smugglers.

Until yesterday, confiscated cigarettes were destroyed and a significant source of potential revenue for the public purse went, quite literally, up in smoke.

The amendment to the Tobacco Act 1997, passed yesterday, came after Chief Minister Peter Caruana learnt that there was "a significant stock" of tobacco products about to be destroyed.

Mr Caruana said there was no reason to destroy "perfectly valuable" tobacco

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