Press release – FITA – for immediate release

We note, without any degree of surprise, the ongoing efforts by multinationals, through their front group and appointed lobbyist, to try and unduly influence the state and the public at large as a result of their dwindling market share.

Our position has always been that we, as an organisation, fully support any effort by the state and affected industry stakeholders to curb smuggling and the illicit trade in cigarettes. This is echoed by our ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

We note with a degree of disappointment the decision by National Treasury today, during the National Budget Speech delivered by Minister Enoch Godongwana, to levy an increase in the excise duties on tobacco products. This despite the compelling evidence that increased excise taxes for the industry has led to the growth of an already booming illicit trade.

Theoretically it may appear sound to increase taxes for purposes of inter alia reducing the burden on ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

We note with serious concern the latest allegations in the media that a British American Tobacco affiliated group has donated equipment worth millions for use by the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”).

This story comes hot on the heels of serious allegations of inter alia corruption, state capture and money-laundering against the aforementioned cigarette manufacturer.

Further, there have recently been a host of allegations against this particular manufacturer of non-compliance in the form of, amongst ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

FITA Press Release

Rumblings of questionable practices by multinational cigarette manufacturers and private security firms associated with them first came to the fore during the ructions at the South African Revenue Service in 2014. We have in the past brought these allegations to the attention of the public.

These include but are not limited to the following practices:

• Private investigators illegally entering private premises and planting surreptitious listening devices and bugging phones.
• Private investigators operating an illegal ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

FITA Press Release

We note, with a great degree of shock, the news that members of the South African National Defence Force, which is constitutionally mandated to defend and protect the Republic of South Africa, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance with

the Constitution and the principles of international law regulating the use of force, were arrested for allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes in a military vehicle with an alleged illegal immigrant.

As an organization ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

The Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (“FITA”) will tomorrow, 2 June 2021, be registering a criminal complaint with the South African Police Service against British American Tobacco South Africa (“BATSA”) in respect of numerous contraventions of inter alia the Tobacco Products Control Act 83 of 1993, and the regulations of the said Act, as well as contraventions of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964 read together with the rules incidental thereto.

On or ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

FITA Press Release 18 April 2021

We commend the efforts of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department acting in conjunction with SAPS Crime Intelligence which bust a large consignment of 1600 master cases of illicit cigarettes on the Etwatwa off-ramp near Daveyton yesterday, 17 April 2021.

The cigarettes, which equate to approximately R 17 227 600.00 in unpaid taxes alone, entered into the country through the notoriously porous Beitbridge border post misleadingly described as cotton yarn. ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

FITA Press Release 12 April 2021

Following the release, on 26 February 2021, of a report compiled by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (“OCCRP”) into smuggling and organized crime attributed to a number of multinational cigarette manufacturers in West Africa, but in particular British American Tobacco (“BAT”) through its South African subsidiary (“BATSA”), we have noticed consistent efforts by BATSA to divert attention away from very serious and damning allegations and evidence ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

FITA Press Release 10 March 2021

We note, without any degree of shock, the latest attempt by multinational cigarette manufacturer BATSA to deflect and divert attention away from very serious and damning allegations of smuggling, corruption and the indirect funding of terrorism which were uncovered by a report compiled by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project into smuggling and organized crime by a number of multinational cigarette manufacturers in West Africa, but ...

Press release – FITA – for immediate release

FITA Press Release 27 February 2021

We are not at all surprised by the revelations contained in a report released on 26 February 2021 by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project into allegations of inter alia smuggling against British American Tobacco and a host of other multinationals in West Africa.

We have for years on record stated that multinational cigarette manufacturers are the proverbial wolves in sheep’s clothing who seek to divert the ...