The seizure is historic: after a year of investigation and spinning, the Customs investigation service got hold of 12 tonnes of contraband shisha tobacco and 17,000 euros. An extraordinary result obtained after four searches carried out on July 28 in various warehouses located in Ile-de-France in Villiers-le-Bel, Garges-lès-Gonesse (Val-d'Oise) and Pierrefitte-sur-Seine (Seine- St Denis).
The merchandise which had passed through Turkey then Germany before arriving in France was intended to supply the entire north of the capital. It could have brought in more than 2.4 million euros to the traffickers who structured this international criminal network. Bought 10 euros each from smugglers, the 1 kg pot had to be sold 6 to 8 times more expensive under the cloak.
A sign of a growing feeling of impunity, the criminals, now in pre-trial detention, had even created their brand, Mazo, a word born from the compilation of the initials of their first names and their names ... Marketing, intended for adolescents, was notably provided on the Snapchat social network.
The case, out of the ordinary, illustrates both the increase in contraband tobacco in its various forms since the end of confinement as well as the additional resources allocated to customs officials to fight against the phenomenon.
Increase in traffic and seizures, limitation of cigarette exports to one cartridge for individuals, new modes of consumption, the new Deputy Minister of Public Accounts, Olivier Dussopt, answers all questions.
To what extent has deconfinement revived the activity of traffickers?
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OLIVIER DUSSOPT. Since the reopening of the borders and the end of confinement, Customs have observed 1,200 violations and seized 33 tonnes of tobacco. Very recently, our services dismantled traffic to Great Britain. On this occasion, 13 tonnes of tobacco were destroyed.
In 2019, 44.3 tonnes of contraband hookah tobacco were seized. The tobacconists' union estimates that 95% of smoked shisha tobacco in France has not been purchased in the legal network ...
That's a lot ... We think we will have similar seizures in 2020 to those in 2019, despite the confinement that had dried up the cross-border market. Between 2018 and 2019, we had made 50% more seizures of tobacco, or 240 t of tobacco in 2018 and 360 t in 2019. In detail, these 360 t correspond to 160 t of cigarettes, 45 t of hookah tobacco , 1.3 t of cigars and 150 t of raw tobacco.
Is this increase in seizures linked to an increase in traffic or better customs efficiency?
Both. In 2019, Customs operated 110,000 missions aimed at smuggling tobacco. The largest tonnages of seizures carried out concern organized criminal networks, sometimes in connection with terrorist organizations. The traffic crosses Europe, goes through Belgium, Germany. Transport bridges also come from Morocco.
In addition to shisha tobacco, snuff and chewing tobacco are making a comeback on the illegal market, available in different flavors: vanilla, strawberry, etc.
There is a sharp increase in the consumption and illegal sale of these tobaccos to a young audience. Our services work on it very carefully because, in addition to smuggling, there is also poor quality counterfeit.
Since July 31, the French have not been allowed to buy more than one carton of cigarettes abroad. This measure, which makes the happiness of tobacconists, does it not also that of smugglers?
No, because this measure allows customs officers above all to issue tickets in the context of traffic between individuals. Today, if you are stopped at a border with more than one carton of cigarettes, you are in "commercial presumption". This small traffic between individuals harms tobacconists as well as the State and Social Security which does not recover its taxes.
What is the cost in terms of losses for the State?
To give the total shortfall is complicated. However, it is estimated that each contraband package sold represents a loss of € 7.70 in tax or social revenue. Of these 7.70 €, 6.15 € should be allocated to Social Security.
