January 25, 2024
- The training session, which was held at the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, brought together 120 members of the Guardia Civil, the Customs Surveillance Service, the National Police and Local Police from the province, as well as representatives of the Tobacconists’ Associations
On Wednesday, 17 January 2024, Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport was the venue for the conference on “ Illegal Trade in Tobacco Products”, organised by the Guardia Civil, which is responsible for the State’s fiscal protection under the Customs Administration, which is a fundamental element of control of illegal tobacco trafficking at the border, and the leading company in proximity distribution in Southern Europe, Logista, and which was attended by around 120 commanders and agents belonging to the Guardia Civil, the Customs Surveillance Service, the National Police and Local Police from the province, as well as representatives of the Tobacconists’ Associations. The main purpose of the event was to exchange knowledge and raise awareness of the problem of the illegal tobacco trade, through the collaboration of public-private institutions involved in preventing and prosecuting this type of crime.
The training meeting dealt with illegal activities involving tobacco products in Spain and more specifically in Alicante, their relationship with organised crime, as well as applicable current legislation. The programme for the training day included presentations by various Logista representatives, as well as the participation of experts from the Guardia Civil, the Customs Administration and the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The day opened at around 09.00 with speeches by the Hon. Mr José Hernández Mosquera, Colonel-in-Chief of the Command of the Guardia Civil of Alicante; Hon. Mr Juan Antonio Nieves, Subdelegate of the Government in Alicante; and Ms Laura Navarro, Director of Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport.
The conference is part of the intelligence project that has been run by Logista’s Security Department over several years, focusing on sharing the latest information on the illegal tobacco trade and in which more than 8,000 police officers from across Spain have participated since its inception in 2015.
Besides the risks it causes to potential consumers as a result of the lack of regulation and health control of its products, the illegal tobacco trade entails very serious fraud against the State and substantial tax losses each year. According to the latest IPSOS empty pack survey, it is estimated that approximately 4.7% of cigarettes consumed in Spain have not been taxed. Also noteworthy is the rise of the phenomenon of clandestine cigarette manufacturing in Spain, which is linked to the counterfeiting of tobacco brands and involves international criminal organisations; this, too, has been detected in the province of Alicante.
About Logista – www.logista.com
Logista is one of the largest logistics operators in Europe and specialises in distribution to local channels. It regularly serves almost 200,000 points of sale in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands and Poland and offers the best and fastest market access to a wide range of convenience products, pharmaceuticals, electronic top-up, books, publications, tobacco and lotteries, among others. It is also notable for being the largest transport network in Spain, which is also certified in food safety.
Logista has a team of highly qualified professionals made up of more than 7,450 direct employees and a large number of collaborators such as Nacex franchisees, Logista Parcel delegates, drivers, etc. Employees and collaborators all work focused on serving their customers in the most efficient way and adapted to their needs.