Singapore: ink to fight illegal cigarettes

A Singapour, 18 % du marché des cigarettes est d'origine illégale. Illégale signifiant que ces cigarettes proviennent en grande majorité de Malaisie et d'Indonésie, ou elles coutent beaucoup moins cher qu'ici.
Alors le gouvernement a décidé de marquer ses cigarettes d'un petit sigle pour faire la distinction entre les vraies et les fausses cigarettes. Maliiiiinnnn.... (ils vont s'amuser a vérifier les cigarettes une par une a la frontière !:D)

Voila l'article :

SINGAPORE : From 1 January 2009, all duty—paid cigarettes sold in Singapore will be marked with the letters "SDPC" to distinguish them from contraband cigarettes.
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The letters "SDPC" stand for Singapore Duty—Paid Cigarette, and it is proof that the cigarette is legal.

This new requirement is part of Singapore Customs’ effort to curb the selling and buying of illegal cigarettes.

According to Singapore Customs, Singapore is the first country to implement this regulation.

From January next year, all unmarked cigarettes would be deemed duty—unpaid and illegal.

Anyone found buying, selling or smoking cigarettes without the "SDPC" marking could be jailed or fined. For every packet of duty—unpaid cigarettes, the offender can be fined S$500.

Licensed retailers will start selling marked cigarettes from October. The Tobacco Association (Singapore) said the current stock of unmarked duty—paid cigarettes will not be recalled.

Fong Yong Kian, director—general, Singapore Customs, said: "We will be working together with the cigarette industry to phase out all the old cigarette stocks by January 1 next year. When our officers encounter cigarettes without the SDPC marking from January 1 next year, we will investigate it to check the origin of the cigarette.

"Our assessment is that it is unlikely that the SDPC markings will be counterfeited. This assessment is also shared by the industry. But nonetheless, we will be monitoring the situation very closely."

According to Singapore Customs, cigarette manufacturers were informed of this new marking requirement in April this year.

Those who buy their cigarettes from overseas for their own consumption should keep their receipts issued by the Singapore Customs at the checkpoints as proof of payment of duty and GST.

According to the Tobacco Association (Singapore), contraband cigarettes constitute 18 per cent of market share in Singapore.

It expects the new regulation to increase demand for duty—paid cigarettes, which would help offset the cost of marking every cigarette. — CNA/ms/ir

Source : Channel NewsAsia - Friday, September 12

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