BY YOMBI KEP
The fight against the illegal tobacco trade in PNG steps up as British American Tobacco Papua New Guinea (BATPNG) signed a Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) after the two organisations agreed to work together.
If the illegal tobacco trade is not dealt with, the country will continue to make a loss for the growing illegal tobacco trade that takes place in the PNG. Organised criminal group led illegal traders always find ways to penetrate weak border enforcements resulting in significant evasion of tax revenue by the PNG Government and legitimate traders.
“We will continue to lose large amounts of tax revenue due to the PNG Government if we do not address the illegal tobacco problem in the country,” said Gary Baki, the RPNGC commissioner, during the signing of the MOA.
“It’s a lot of money going out.”
Rogue importers of illegal tobacco do not pay any taxes to government and by doing so steal a lot of money due to the people of Papua New Guinea. Illegal tobacco operations are perpetrated by organized criminal syndicates and the proceeds from the trade are directly funding other transnational crimes including drugs and arms smuggling, money laundering, human trafficking and funding terrorist groups.