News

2019 Feb , 14

Combat against counterfeit

The police academy of Río de Janeiro carried out a major operation against counterfeit and contraband of Cuban cigars in Brazil.

The team of the police academy responsible for the combat against counterfeit and contraband in the state of Río de Janeiro carried out on 17th January a major operation in the country against counterfeit and contraband of Cuba cigars, after 3 months of investigations.

The forensics experts played an important role in the operation in order to identify Cuban cigars counterfeit and smuggled, thanks to the “Habanos Anti-Illicit Trade Program” in Brazil”, sponsored by Emporium Cigars, exclusive Distributor of Habanos, S.A.  in partnerships with Brazilian authorities and its institutions, which among others activities trains and certifies forensics experts

16 points of sales of tobacco in noble areas of the city were target of the operation that ended with 18 people arrested and taken to jail, among them, a large Brazilian operator and his Cuban partner who had been operating nationally for many years. In addition, more than 20 thousand cigars were detained in the operation for investigation.  

In Brazil, due to tax burden, the price of Cuban cigars is much higher than the European market, thus generating a high level of counterfeiting and contraband in the country. It contributes to the fact that Brazil produces high quality tobacco in the state of Bahia and has a border with Paraguay with very low law enforcement against tobacco contraband. It is estimated that in Brazil almost 70% of the premium cigars market is trade of counterfeit or smuggled products, with sales exceeding 1.5 million units.

The operation had a great impact on the media, including a report on 20th January on the television channel “Rede Globo” on his famous Sunday night program called “Fantastic”.

Emporium Cigars and its lawyers in association with Habanos S.A will follow legal procedures, investigations and trials of all those involved in the processes

Combat against counterfeit


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