Gibraltar, Spain: Government Raises Cigarette Duty and Reinforces Anti-tobacco Measures

Source from:  Gibraltar Chronicle (gi)  12/05/2013

The duty on a packet of 20 cigarettes went up by 10p yesterday, making the duty payable on 200 cigarettes £12.

The Chief Minsiter Fabian Picardo signed the relevant legal documents last week.

Mr Picardo also further extended the areas where Police and Customs officers have wider powers to deal with those suspected of acting in breach of existing provisions of the Tobacco Act.

This will now include an area between the frontier fence and the Ministry of Defence facility at Four Corners, given that this is now an area in the control of the Gibraltar Government. The area extends to the northern most part of Western Beach.

The fence to the east and west of the entry point into Gibraltar will also be repaired said the Chief Minister.

He said: "We are continuing to extend the powers available to HM Customs and Royal Gibraltar Police officers in dealing with illicit tobacco activity and investing in repairing those parts of the frontier fence which have been damaged by those involved in this trade."

"Last year Government spent £129,513.96 on repairs to the frontier fence and erecting new fencing which is harder to damage."

The Chief Minister said the repairs are needed to protect against the illicit trade in tobacco and law enforcement officials dealing with it, and that there is a security danger posed by potential unauthorised access to Gibraltar through holes in the frontier.

New CCTV installations are being prepared to help deal with this security issue as well. Enditem