Bangkok--20 Feb--124 Communications
Illegal Low-Price Imported Cigarettes Invading Thailand. Retailers Should Beware of Cheap Cigarettes with Fake Tax Stamps to Avoid Heavy Fines
The Thai Tobacco Trade Association (TTTA) warns tobacco retailers to beware of cheap imported cigarettes being sold with counterfeit tobacco tax stamps. Based on media reports and feedback from TTTA members, retailers in many provinces across Thailand have had their stores raided and have been fined for selling low-priced cigarettes with fake tax stamps. TTTA is concerned about this situation as retailers often do not know that they have purchased tobacco products with counterfeit stamps, but per the respective laws, they unfortunately still face stiff fines as a result of having these products in their stores.
Mrs. Varaporn Namatra, Executive Director of TTTA said, “TTTA’s members in many provinces have been investigated and fined by officers from the Excise Department for selling cheap cigarettes with fake stamps. Some shops were fined for up to 1.5 million baht. Retailers have reported that the products with fake tax stamps are those low-price products imported from neighboring countries. It’s important that TTTA members and all retailers, including convenience stores and mom-and-pop outlets, are aware of this problem.”
The sale, either intentionally or unintentionally, of tobacco products with counterfeit stamps is against the following laws:
Tobacco Act BE2509 Section 24. No person shall sell or hold in his possession for sale any cut tobacco or manufactured tobacco without tobacco stamps affixed thereon as required under this Act. Whoever violate shall be punished with a fine fifteen time the value of the tobacco stamps required to be affixed.
Tobacco Act BE2509 Section 43. No one may have in his possession counterfeit or used tobacco stamps for sale or use knowing that they are counterfeit or used. Whoever violates shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding four thousand Baht or both.
Trademark Act BE2534 Section 110 and 108. No person shall imports, distributes, offers for distribution or has in possession for distribution goods bearing a counterfeit trademark, service mark, certification mark or collective mark registered by another person. Whoever violates shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding four years or a fine of not exceeding four hundred thousand baht or both.
“Nowadays, there are numerous cheap imported cigarette brands being offered for sale in Thailand and TTTA would like to warn retailers nationwide to beware when purchasing tobacco goods from unknown sources. If the price of cigarettes being offered looks to good to be true, it probably is! Retailers should only purchase goods from reliable distributors, as the fine for selling tobacco products with counterfeit tax stamps can be as high as 15 times the value of the stamp,” concluded Mrs. Varaporn Namatra.
TTTA recommends that if retailers are uncertain about whether cigarettes have fake stamps, they should contact the Excise Department Hotline at 1713. If Excise Department officials visit your store, retailers should 1) ensure that they see the officer’s identification, 2) mark all products before the officer collects them, and 3) ask the officer to sign a document showing the date and number of goods collected for future verification.
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