Drug trafficking has long been a major source of revenue for the cartels in Mexico, but now it seems they have found a new ‘business‘ vein in the form of cigarette smuggling. According to a report by EL PAÍS, three out of every ten cigarettes consumed in the Dominican Republic come from illicit trade, with Panama being identified as the gateway for cigarette smuggling in the region, as reported by Listin Diario and Forbes Central America.
El Caribe Newspaper has further shed light on Panama’s role as a logistics center for cigarette smuggling in Latin America, with smugglers using the country as a hub to transport illegal cigarettes throughout the region. This alarming trend has drawn attention from international sources, with Yahoo Finance reporting on the issue as well.
The implications of this illicit trade are significant, not only in terms of lost tax revenue for governments, but also in terms of the health and safety risks posed by counterfeit and unregulated tobacco products. It is clear that the issue of cigarette smuggling has become a major concern in the region and calls for coordinated efforts to crack down on this criminal activity. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.