More than R20 billion in tax revenue was lost last year due to the illegal tobacco trade.
The illegal tobacco trade has grown 1000% in a decade and robs the nation of R50 million every day
The illegal tobacco trade has grown 1000% in a decade and robs the nation of R50 million every day
20
In lost taxes
20 billion rand would pay for solar systems to take 20 small towns annually off the Eskom grid for ever. 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.
The illegal cigarette trade has increased by 1,000% in a little over a decade, 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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