More than R40 billion in tax revenue was lost between 2010 and 2018 due to the illegal tobacco trade.
The illegal tobacco trade robs the nation of R21.9 million every day
The illegal tobacco trade robs the nation of R21.9 million every day
40
In lost taxes
40 billion rand would be enough to finance South Africa’s public transport system. SARS Customs and Excise chief Beyers Theron has said that “Tobacco has been at the forefront for many years” of South Africa’s rampant illicit economy.
Illegal cigarettes are manufactured in factories in South Africa. Almost 15 million illegal cigarettes are smoked every day here and 3 out of 4 informal retail shops sell illegal products.
One in three cigarettes smoked in South Africa is illegal, according to the Economics of Tobacco Control Unit at the University of Cape Town.
Illicit Industries
Medicines
Illegal medicines cause thousands of deaths each year in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the WHO and other health organisations.
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