Georgia, Turkey, Africa and France by bus to transport cigarettes

compiled by bus EurasiaNet website from Tbilisi to Istanbul is one of up to more than 24 hours of torture, along typically contain escape herd, coastal scenery, stopping to enjoy local food and fellow passengers odor children. But take another way to make this process can be different from the majority of bus tours – handling and transport hundreds of cigarettes.

“Everyone either carry three at the border to buy cigarettes or three cigarettes,” an experienced Georgians traveling this way several women said. Every person entering Turkey up to 10 boxed allowed three cigarettes. “Even if you do not smoke or you do not want a cigarette, someone will give you three cigarettes just to carry transit, when you re-enter Turkey withdraw their cigarettes,” that this woman claiming to Nana said.

Since 2008, Turkey adopted to limit advertising, raise cigarette taxes and ban smoking in workplaces and public buildings, such as measures to promote national quit.However, due to increased cigarette prices, Turks, Turkish officials to stop smoking more but more to encourage the development of the black market cigarette trade.

According to the Turkish Customs and Trade Ministry said the current average price of a pack of cigarettes in Turkey for € 3.40 ($ 4.72), in the Black Sea region is the most expensive. Each pack of cigarettes tax rate of about 80% -83%. The department, in contrast, Turkey’s eastern neighbor Georgia, the average price per pack of cigarettes is 1.30 euros. Price disparity greatly stimulated the black market. Turkish “Hurriyet Daily News” reported that, according to the Turkish tobacco and Markets Authority said today in the Turkish market is about 20% of cigarettes are smuggled or counterfeit.

According to Turkish “Zaman Today” news, Turkey Federation estimates crafts and businessmen in the country for illegal trade led to the loss of 4 billion to 5 billion Turkish lira (1.9 to 2.4 billion U.S. dollars) a year. This exceeds the government estimates the country’s gross domestic drug trade profits.

Most of the black-market cigarettes are considered to come from Iraq and Syria, but Georgia has also been included in the main source. In Istanbul, has a unique Georgian cigarette package warnings in the public display of small shops and bazaars, or in conjunction with other illegal cigarette display.

EurasiaNet site interview Istanbul cigarette vendors refused to disclose how they speak the language to get Georgia packaged cigarettes.

Representatives of some tobacco companies have their own ideas. A London-based multinational tobacco companies – British American Tobacco company executives told EurasiaNet site area, there are about more than 1.5 million words of cigarette sales in Georgia but not consumed locally. Since there is no authorized to speak to the press, the executive of anonymity, he said the company believes that most of these cigarettes are consumed in Turkey.

The British American Tobacco company executives said that Georgia major tobacco companies have taken steps to monitor the sale and consumption of cigarettes, and some companies even seem to stop the sales of cigarette wholesalers to supply far exceeds the ability of local consumption. He said the company has shared their findings with the Georgian government. But he said that as cigarette sales bring additional revenue, Tbilisi officials have yet to take serious measures to prevent black market.

Georgian Ministry of Finance did not comment on the reporter’s inquiry. 2013 cigarette tax revenues generated information can not be obtained immediately. But last September the cigarette tax increase from 25 to 33% after the Georgian government is expected to increase from 25 billion to 26 billion lari (14.3 to 14.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue.

Illegal cigarette trade is not only potentially increases government revenue, it also provides for many Georgians the opportunity to maintain life. Many women from impoverished western Samegrelo region, became a major cigarette convoys. “They are where the lifestyle is unimaginable in Turkey,” Nana said. Nana is a 57-year-old Tbilisi resident, caregiver in Istanbul.

Based on the average price of these transactions (3 10 boxed cigarettes) in Turkey can bring 63 euros ($ 87.54) profit. Use earned money, illegal tobacconists often buy cheap clothing and footwear and bazaars in the domestic trafficking, according to the European Commission, these goods in Turkey lowest price.

The existing visa regime between Turkey and Georgia to encourage such business practices. Georgians simply by virtue of their national identity cards can enter an unlimited number of Turkey, and can stay in the 180 days period not exceeding 90 days.

Turkish officials did not immediately respond to the media about what measures the government is taking to specifically combat frequently transported from Georgia to the question of illegal cigarettes. In the past, the government has urged States to achieve Turkey’s cigarette tax, but apparently without success.

Georgians “probably want (Turkey) to combat cigarette smuggling operations never end,” BAT officials commented.