Price of black market cigarettes rises sharply

Thanks to effective anti-smuggling raids, the proportion of foreign cigarettes for sale illegally on the domestic market fell from 22% to 13% between September 2005 and July 2006, said József Bencze, director of the National Command of the Customs and Financial Guard (VPOP).

According to napi.hu, VPOP has launched proceedings for cigarette smuggling on more than 38,000 occasions until August and seized a total of 856 boxes of tobacco products. As a result of heightened control, the price of black market cigarettes has risen: a pack of medium-priced cigarettes that used to cost Ft 100-150 (€0.36-0.54) will now command up tp Ft 330 (€1.18). Fully taxed cigarettes cost around Ft 500 (€2)

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