The death of Mr “marlboro” observation – Africa cigarette smuggling

“Mr Marlboro” Bert also?Mukhtar bale thar is also.

Muhtar bear the tal, born in 1972 in Algeria and da ya, al-qaeda’s north African branch leader, due to large-scale smuggling of cigarettes, one nicknamed Mr “marlboro”.

Over the years, the bell thar in the intelligence agencies in north Africa al-qaeda intelligence analysis is just a small footnote.In January 2013, the leadership with the blood of allegiance to al-qaida allied, launched by Algeria, menachem begin, natural gas plant.In the attack, at least 38 people were killed.

Infamous “history”

Bear the tal is an ambitious man.Became a maghreb in Mali before an al-qaeda commander, he had to participate in jihad in Afghanistan.

In 2003, bear the tal masterminded a kidnapping of 32 European tourists, and successfully for huge ransoms.The money for his future in the whole north Africa development mature trade network provides the original capital.Through the tower, tribal people ever use a 2000 – mile – long ancient salt path, he is from the west coast of Africa to the city of timbuktu, Mali smuggled goods, and then the Niger have Algeria south gate – the Mediterranean.

In the past, the tower, the tribal people profit by salt, gold and silk.Bear the tal with several prominent families intermarry, established close ties with the tribe.He took other measures in order to make a fortune – cigarette smuggling.

“He in al-qaeda’s north African branch maghreb al-qaeda is not important people, his with bin laden and other al qaeda members have big different.”At the university of Oslo, a senior researcher at modern said. “overall, he is a man of more practical, compared with jihad, he was more interested in fill his pockets with money.”

It is hard to understand is that for a long time, cigarette smuggling the key role in funding terrorist were ignored.While western intelligence agencies investigating different branch of al-qaeda in north Africa, until the cause of great interest.

It is estimated that illegal tobacco trade amount more than $1 billion in north Africa.The United Nations office on drugs and crime estimates that africans smoked 400 billion cigarettes a year, including 60 billion from the black market.According to statistics, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, the five countries consume cigarettes account for 44% of the total consumption of the continent.Tobacco black market, by contrast, the five countries are big.Libya, for example, people consume cigarettes three-fourths are illegal cigarettes.

Profits to keep illegal tobacco trade, bell tal other branches with the maghreb organizations compete with each other, and with the tower, tribes and corrupt army, government officials, for each other.Control counterfeit cigarettes into north Africa has led to a battle for control of sphere of influence.

A few “safe” smuggling routes

Across north Africa shipping some of cigarette is Vietnam production of fake goods, but mostly from the Middle East has a trademark.They through the multinational through complex middlemen and the corporate network to transport.These middlemen and companies’ offshore tax havens in more activities.These cigarettes are often by Ghana, benin and Togo in west Africa.Another route is through guinea in west Africa region.The United Nations office on drugs and crime says guinea cigarette supply far more than its demand.

These into west Africa cigarette is then transferred to Mali and Niger river by road, through these lines, was found little risk.Another distribution centre is Mauritania, this is for Senegal, Morocco and Algeria.

In several cases, bear the tal and maghreb al-qaeda or cigarette on via the ancient salt path “tax”, either through providing transit cigarettes four car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, even transportation, these cigarettes make a rich.

These contraband often not marlboro and other brands, but cheaper, less famous products, and international tobacco giants eager to introduce these products in developing countries.Their hope is to establish oneself in developing countries.

Inevitably, cigarette smuggling, regional in these countries has sparked a series of debates about international tobacco giant role, especially they should take much responsibility for the existence of distribution lines.These lines are terrorist group is used to fill their coffers, some of which is the world’s most dangerous terrorist group.

Company internal documents show, in the 1980 s, British American tobacco used in Liechtenstein via a company named Sorepex as its main distributor in Africa.Internal papers, they see Sorepex as “transport train”, it is British American tobacco provide secret channels in some dark corner of the business.But the British American tobacco, insisted that they routinely condemns all forms of trafficking.

Last year, Japan tobacco has been the eu survey, because it is through a company has contact with the Syrian government transport cigarettes, destroyed the sanctions against Syria.The company denies any wrongdoing.

Cigarette smuggling is hard to track

, experts say, cigarette smuggling profits provided also provides capital for other crime, including illegal drugs, oil transportation, and human trafficking.These activities often use the same as the cigarette smuggling of distribution network.However, cigarette is still the most profitable, the lowest risk of contraband.A criminal expert at George mason university Louis Shirley said, “few believe that cigarette smuggling is a very serious thing, so little law enforcement tracking blow to invest a lot of resources.”

Intelligence experts say, put the cigarette into the north Africa is just “bottom line” of cigarette smuggling.A lot of money from the old brand of cigarette products by Greece, Spain or Italy back to Europe.So far, this for smugglers is smaller but growing market.

Although there is no evidence that tobacco giant, actively cooperate with terrorist groups, but monitor them where is the end product circulation is still very difficult.Closely linked to these companies and middlemen cooperation, makes the tracking cigarette is almost impossible.Information specialists to the observer magazine, shows how a dealer is doing business: he regularly buy products from a big tobacco company, in Cyprus, Brussels, dubai, Malaysia, Egypt, Israel, Uruguay, panama, and Singapore have complex operations involved in the business office, warehouse and bank accounts, making him a cigarette in the global transport without being tracked.

“This provides the cigarette smuggling routes of protection, but in some cases, the terrorists involved in or rarely involved in cigarette smuggling can clean up.”One was involved in the smuggling operation intelligence experts say, “for them, it is best to trade dollars or euros. They can be stored in clean the hard currency of the account, terrorists can be easy to buy whatever they need.”

Experts say, can only be forced countries to international treaties signed illicit tobacco trade multinational tobacco companies regulation and tracking cigarette distribution, at the same time for customers to fulfill the duty of “due diligence”.

Hero dim and ending at the moment

Ironically, the bell tal maybe too successful in cigarette smuggling.In 2012, there were rumours that the maghreb al qaeda’s leaders to question his loyalty to organization business, think and ideal than he is more interested in money, and they cast him out of the organization.

Slaughter in the Sahara, perhaps is the bell tal try to prove someone wrong looked at his antics.However, the move to his cigarette smuggling activities had great negative effects.”The day of his cigarette smuggling is over.”Shortly afterwards, the person said, “there is no gangsters and businessmen willing to within one kilometer around him. Because, they don’t want to be a U.S. drone target.”

On the evening of March 2, 2013, Chad, general staff issued a communique said Chad’s army in northern Mali mountain several terrorists killed in the offensive operations, including the bell.

Cigarette smuggling is so important to terrorism, however, will not no one want to give him up.