Philip Morris India presses for crackdown as illicit cigarettes claim 25% of market
PMI, alongside Godfrey Phillips and the Tobacco Institute of India, is pushing enforcement agencies to dismantle illicit tobacco networks costing the exchequer Rs 23,000 crore annually. Recent DRI actions include 29.3 lakh sticks seized in Kolkata and a Rs 120 crore e-cigarette bust spanning Guwahati, Coimbatore and Chandigarh.
What happened
Philip Morris India urges stronger enforcement against illicit tobacco trade, citing TII data showing illicit cigarettes account for ~25% of domestic market and
Key facts
- Rs 23,000 crore annual loss
- 25% illicit market share
- 29.3 lakh sticks seized Kolkata
- Rs 120 crore e-cigarette seizure
Why this matters
Industry-coordinated lobbying with TII suggests a window for partnership-led compliance plays, track-and-trace tech tie-ups, or distribution consolidation as illicit networks get dismantled.