Mr Christian Vanneste questions Mr minister of the budget, public count, of the civil service and of the reform of the State about the struggle against fraud in the cigarette. According to a study published in November, 2009 by British American Tobacco, 22 % of cigarettes used in France, that is 12 thousand millions, are bought from now on abroad. Lack to be earned for the State would be 3,4 thousand million euro. He would like to know measures taken to struggle against this fraud.

Answer of the Government:

The minister of the budget, public count, of the civil service and of the reform of the State acquainted himself with interest of question on the cost estimated of fraud at the cigarette. The struggle against smuggling and counterfeiting of cigarettes and of tobacco constitutes one of the permanent and priority objectives of the customhouse. Motivated both by imperatives of public health and by the will to preserve public finances, the action of the customs Офисrs aims at the same time at the dismantling of the international criminal organisations and struggle counters the acquisition of cigarettes on Internet or abroad beyond allowed quantities. With 249,7 tons, the seizures of products of tobaccos for year 2008 really recorded a boom. They represent a value of about 59 million euro. Gifts on all territory, on borders as inside the country, and perfectly formed to fight this fraud, the customs Офисrs show in the daily their deep commitment to struggle against smuggling and counterfeiting of cigarettes which contravene the policy of struggle against tobacco addiction and wrong the tax revenues of the State. The action of the customhouse against the big organisations of fraud proves to be also supported. Ten bigger business accomplished in 2008 led to the seizure of more than 80 tons of cigarettes. This figure represents to himself 32 % totals of seizures accomplished by the customhouse. The action of the national direction of information and of customs inquiries (DNRED) and of the national service of judicial customhouse (SNDJ) participates efficiently in the dismantlings of courses of study and organisations of fraud. Means displayed by the administration are numerous. The customhouse does not cease reinforcing its intervention capacities to discern this type of fraud. She acquired four mobile scanners and created cynophiles teams especially devoted to the detection of tobaccos. All the border services are also mobilised by the struggle against the irregular cross-border purchases. Reinforced operations of control are regularly led. The operation " lawful tobacco ", which took place last spring, allowed the French border services to grab in the single week 1,2 ton of cigarettes and 270 kg of tobacco to be smoked, among which 60 % concerned the French-Spanish border region and 30 % orders by Internet delivered by parcels sent by mail. Finally, the installation domestically of a plan of action intended to improve the struggle against fraud on Internet and traffics linked to electronic trade and creation of a new national service "cybercustomhouse", put within DNRED, translate entirely the will of the customs service to struggle against cybercrime. La douane ne cesse de renforcer ses capacit s d intervention pour d tecter ce type de fraude. Elle s est dot e de quatre scanners mobiles et a cr des quipes cynophiles sp cialement d di es la d tection des tabacs. L ensemble des services douaniers est aussi mobilis par la lutte contre les achats transfrontaliers irr guliers. Des op rations de contr le renforc s sont r guli rement men es. L op ration tabac l gal , qui s est d roul e au printemps dernier, a permis aux services douaniers fran ais de saisir en une seule semaine 1,2 tonne de cigarettes et 270 kg de tabac fumer, dont 60 % concernaient la r gion frontali re franco-espagnole et 30 % les commandes par internet livr es par colis postaux. Enfin, la mise en place au niveau national d un plan d action destin am liorer la lutte contre les fraudes sur internet et les trafics li s au commerce lectronique et la cr ation d un nouveau service national cyberdouane , plac au sein de la DNRED, traduisent pleinement la volont de l administration douani re de lutter contre la cybercriminalit .

Question published to JO: 1/26/2010 page: 703
Published answer to JO: 2/23/2010 page: On 1994