Illicit tobacco trade in Colombia: November 2022–March 2023 report
Actualizado: hace 3 días
Did you know that, according to Colombia’s National Federation of Departments, illegal tobacco trade deprived the country of COP 2.4 trillion (more than US$500 million) in tax revenue over the preceding four years?
To address this problem, we offer services to combat illicit trade across multiple product categories. We protect consumers and brands, help industries recover market share and increase public revenue. We use advanced technology and data analysis to produce detailed reports on illicit trade events in Latin America, helping our clients take preventive and corrective action in real time.
We present our news events report on illicit trade in Colombia (tobacco products, November 2022 to March 2023), prepared by the Centre for Research, Monitoring and Analysis of Illicit Trade (CIMA). If your company is looking for effective solutions against smuggling or counterfeiting, contact us to learn more about our services.
Key findings from the infographic
From November 2022 to March 2023, CIMA recorded 25 operational events across 15 municipalities. Smuggling was the main issue. Authorities seized 17,652,910 cigarettes, with an estimated value of US$1,183,644, and detained 40 people. Quantity data were available for 23 events, estimated value for 18 and detention figures for 10; the remaining events had no figures reported.
The main institutions involved were the Fiscal and Customs Police (POLFA), the Colombian Navy and the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN). The map highlights Maicao with five events, Medellín with four and Cartagena with three.
Invamer’s 2022 cigarette market study estimated that legal products represented 66% of the market and illicit products 34%.
In a joint international operation between Panama and Colombia on the high seas, authorities seized 1,413,500 packs of smuggled cigarettes, valued at US$1,344,500, and arrested eight people.
The infographic also reports POLFA’s nationwide 2022 results: 31,000 enforcement actions and 102 million units of merchandise seized, worth more than COP 275 billion. In 2022, authorities dismantled 44 criminal structures and arrested 311 people for smuggling and related offences. Ten asset-forfeiture operations targeted 242 assets acquired through smuggling, valued at COP 143 billion.
The original Spanish infographic is reproduced below; its findings are provided above in English.
👉 To receive our reports by email or access the full reports, leave your email address in this post or contact us. At Strategos BIP, we put our intelligence at your service.
UNITED STATES (+1) 305 614 7664
COLOMBIA (+57) 1 654 0011
MEXICO (+52) 55 13281767
GUATEMALA (+502) 23763769