Illicit Trade
The illicit trade includes trafficking in:
- smuggled cigarettes (genuine cigarettes intended for sale in the United States for which applicable excise taxes have not been paid);
- counterfeit cigarettes (cigarettes not manufactured by or with the consent of the trademark owner);
- illegally imported cigarettes (cigarettes manufactured for sale outside the United States); and
- stolen cigarettes (cigarettes that become contraband as a result of crimes such as truck hijacking, theft from cargo shipments and warehouses, or stealing from retail stores).
Illicit trade is a concern for our business, law enforcement and regulatory authorities, as well as wholesalers and retailers. Illicit activity deprives governments of tax revenue and hurts law-abiding businesses. Contraband cigarette sales undermine trade programs that PM USA offers wholesalers and retailers to responsibly market and sell its products, and harms legitimate cigarette wholesalers and retailers who can face unfair competition when lower-priced contraband cigarettes are introduced into a market.
Altria's tobacco operating companies work to address the problem of contraband tobacco products.
We enforce trade policies at the retail and wholesale level. We pursue civil remedies, including litigation, to protect our trademarks.
Law Enforcement
If you are a federal, state or local law enforcement agent or a regulatory official and would like additional information, please call the Law Enforcement Support Line at 877-224-3487.
