Swiss see hike in Africa tobacco smuggling
AFP - [email protected]
Published: 8 Feb, 2012 CET.
Updated: Wed 8 Feb 2012 14:22 CET
Swizerland has seen a large-scale hike in cigarette-smuggling from Africa where prices are 10 times cheaper, a senior customs official said on Wednesday.
A number of passengers arriving from Senegal have been found to be carrying 100 to 300 cartons of cigarettes in their luggage, Geneva regional customs director Jerome Coquoz told reporters.
"A carton is sold in Senegal for the equivalent of 7.5 Swiss francs ($8.1) while it is worth 76 Swiss francs in Switzerland," he said.
Last year, Geneva regional customs seized 14 "large" consignments of Malboro cigarettes, involving 2,500 cartons, he said, suggesting this was a new form of trafficking.
Meanwhile drug seizures were also up last year at Geneva airport, including 28 kilos of cocaine.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.