Good practices in the fight against the illicit trade of cigarettes which help protect the financial interests of the European Union

ended

The legislative and economic provisions asociated with the emergence of the European Union has brought about signifficant change in terms of global economic order, and thus, great emphasis has started being put on the matter of fighting against fraud, as the creation of a single European economic market and free movement of citizens have set the grounds for the development of cross-border criminal networks with a direct influence on the increase of the illicit tabacco trade. Given that „organised crime groups engaged in the illicit cigarette trade are increasingly diverse” , in Romania, illicit tabacco trade experienced an increase in 2016 and following years, most-likely due to our country’s geographical position and encirclement by almost 2000 km of border with non-EU countries. Despite the fact that the largest shares of cigarettes enter through the country’s northern, northeastern and southwestern border, Dolj county is also considered a two-tier risk zone through: Bechet and Calafat. As such, I.J.J. Dolj has made the fight against illicit cigarette trade a primary objective. Under these circumtances, through our proposal, we are taking on the task of facilitating information exchange, as point of reference for alternative intervention methods, skill acquisition and swift transmission of know-how, improved cooperation between law enforcement authorities and other local, regional and international public authorities, as a basis for the continuous improvement of investigative abilities and knowledge expansion, and the creation of a comprehensive network of highly-trained professionals whose efforts are directed towards the investigation of tobacco fraud and the subsequent protection of EU’s financial interests.