Overview

• A Philip Morris–commissioned poll of 1,004 adults found 4% frequently and 13% occasionally receive offers of illegal cigarettes.
• Public views were divided: about one third called such purchases completely unacceptable, nearly half said not good but partly understandable, and roughly 10% saw it as not so bad.
• Reporting describes supply via smuggling from Eastern Europe and from illegal factories in Germany, with illicit sales making up just over 2% of consumption last year.
• The customs union BDZ warned the trade threatens Germany’s security architecture and reflects a shift from transit country to production and distribution base for organized crime.
• Philip Morris and BDZ launched an information campaign urging stronger enforcement, including more customs officers, as the company argues profits help finance other criminal markets.