Excise reforms and dedicated enforcement are critical in stamping out the proliferation of illegal cigarettes in Malaysia, the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia said today.
“The blatant sale of illegal cigarettes out in the open without any attempt of concealment is very rampant and underscores the depth and breadth of the tobacco black market here in Malaysia,” FSGMAM president Hong Chee Meng said in a statement. “Naturally, small businesses like sundry goods merchants, neighbourhood mom-and-pop stores and small traders are impacted by the tobacco black market.”
“The tobacco black market is an issue that has been taking place for far too long and it is a very big problem in Malaysia.