Cigarette smuggling is steadily increasing in UK with unofficially records showing the quantity of illegal cigarette seizure is nearly 2 billion every year. While, the UK market for duty-paid tobacco is declining. In 2005, nearly 28 percent of cigarette consumption was non-UK duty paid, up from five percent in 1994.
With a view to wipe out cigarette smuggling in the country, the UK government has announced the introduction of anti-counterfeit technologies on cigarette packets in the next six months.
Although, the government has not decided the kind of technology it is going to implement, it is widely believed that the Customs department is likely to embrace RFID for the purpose.
The Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) explains the government is ready to the use of a ‘covert security mark’ on cigarette packets and will provide customs staffs small hand-held readers to authenticate cigarettes.
As of now, a clear picture is not emerging among the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and TMA on the type of technologies to be introduced to curb out cigarette smuggling. However, the media reports hinted that RFID tags will be applied.
