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Cheap Burmese 'poison' smokes flood
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Cheap Burmese 'poison' smokes flood the Indian market
Gurdip Singh
The Delhi Age(New Delhi)
1,June,2001
Forget the Chinese threat, the latest invaders of Indian bazaars are
Pakistani,Bangladeshi and Burmese " poison" smokes. Cheap cigarettes
from these three neighbours, using low-grade tobacco with defective
filters are flooding the Indian markets.
Priced at as low as Rs 4 for a packet of ten, the cigarettes have
turned out to be hit not only among regular cigarette smokers but also
among those who otherwise smoke " bidis".
The "invasion" has alarmed both the authorities as well the medical
fraternity.
According to Mr.Uma Rao, former vice-chairman of the Tobacco Board of
India these cigarettes, which use low-grade tobacco, are being smuggled
in from across the border.
Many of them are filter-less, while others have badly made filters,
which are of no practical use. Lab tests have demonstrated that these
cigarettes have nicotine content of 3 par cent or even more. Medical
scientists consider these extremely hazardous for health."
Dr vinay Aggarwal, joint secretary of the Indian Medical Association
agrees. "Cheap cigarettes with poorly built filters can be lethal.
Smoking itself is bad, but these could prove to be even more dangerous,
exposing larger number of people to dreaded diseases like lung cancer
and heart problems in a quicker time frame, " he says.
Brands like Embassy, Gold Flake , Good Luck, Peacook , Aziz Gold have
flooded markets as far removed as Delhi, Jaipur, Siliguri, Hyderabad and
Ludhiana.
The total size of the Indian cigarette market is about Rs 9,000 crore
of which about 35 per cent is smuggled , says MrRao. Some Rs 300 crore
worth of smuggled cigarettes are estimated consumed in West Bengal
alone, whileSouth India smokes about Rs 500 crore worth of these risky
cigarettes.
The tobacco board official adds that none of the smuggled brands
carry dates of manufacture and "there is a strong possibility these are
being dumped here after their expiry date." Something, which if true "
could prove to be very hazardous, " admits DrAggarwal.
To make things difficult, many of these brands have packs, which
look deceptively similar to globally known ones. " What gives them away
are the Urdu, Burmese or Bangla markings on them, " says Mr Rao.
Bangladesh is using the highly porous West Bengal border. Trained
teams cross over in the thick of the night with their illicit loads.
While Burmese cigarettes are mostly brought in on country Sampans
using
coastal waters.
Pakistan, which has joined the race, more recently, smuggled its
deadly cargo across the sands of Rajasthan using camel caravans, say
customs officials.
Most of the manufacturers are obscure companies like perfect tobacco
and
banani tobacco of Bangaladesh and Yonfong Kyukoke of Burma.
Mr. Rao who himself is a top exporter of Virginia grade tobacco
says, " I still don't understand the economics of these manufacturers of
smuggled cigarettes. Even if they used the cheapest grade of tobacco,
they can't make cigarettes at these prices, its obvious there is far
more than meets the eye."
The Delhi-based Indian Tobacco Institute an apex organization of
domestic cigarette manufacturers too has written letters to commerce and
industry secretaries, warning them of this new hazard.
In his letter to the commerce secretary Prabir Sen Gupta, A.C.
Sarkar, the director of the ITI, points out that "scale of international
operations involved in contraband sale of cigarettes has attained such
great magnitude, that governments abroad are taking concerted measures
to curb this menace."
He adds that in India too " the rapid and widespread distribution pf
these contraband brands indicates the existence of large scale and
efficiently organized operations."
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<center><b><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+2>Cheap Burmese 'poison' smokes
flood the Indian market</font></font></b></center>
<p><i><font color="#CC33CC"><font size=+1>Gurdip Singh</font></font></i>
<br><i><font color="#CC33CC"><font size=+1>The Delhi Age(New Delhi)</font></font></i>
<br><i><font color="#CC33CC"><font size=+1>1,June,2001</font></font></i>
<p><font color="#999900">F</font><font color="#006600">orget the Chinese
threat, the latest invaders of Indian bazaars are Pakistani,Bangladeshi
and Burmese " poison" smokes. Cheap cigarettes from these three neighbours,
using low-grade tobacco with defective filters are flooding the Indian
markets.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Priced at as low as Rs 4 for a packet
of ten, the cigarettes have turned out to be hit not only among regular
cigarette smokers but also among those who otherwise smoke " bidis".</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> The "invasion" has alarmed both
the authorities as well the medical fraternity.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> According to Mr.Uma Rao, former
vice-chairman of the Tobacco Board of India these cigarettes, which use
low-grade tobacco, are being smuggled in from across the border.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Many of them are filter-less, while others
have badly made filters, which are of no practical use. Lab tests have
demonstrated that these cigarettes have nicotine content of 3 par cent
or even more. Medical scientists consider these extremely hazardous for
health."</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Dr vinay Aggarwal, joint secretary
of the Indian Medical Association agrees. "Cheap cigarettes with poorly
built filters can be lethal. Smoking itself is bad, but these could prove
to be even more dangerous, exposing larger number of people to dreaded
diseases like lung cancer and heart problems in a quicker time frame, "
he says.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Brands like Embassy, Gold Flake
, Good Luck, Peacook , Aziz Gold have flooded markets as far removed as
Delhi, Jaipur, Siliguri, Hyderabad and Ludhiana.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> The total size of the Indian cigarette
market is about Rs 9,000 crore of which about 35 per cent is smuggled ,
says MrRao. Some Rs 300 crore worth of smuggled cigarettes are estimated
consumed in West Bengal alone, whileSouth India smokes about Rs 500 crore
worth of these risky cigarettes.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> The tobacco board official
adds that none of the smuggled brands carry dates of manufacture and "there
is a strong possibility these are being dumped here after their expiry
date." Something, which if true " could prove to be very hazardous, " admits
DrAggarwal.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> To make things difficult,
many of these brands have packs, which look deceptively similar to globally
known ones. " What gives them away are the Urdu, Burmese or Bangla
markings on them, " says Mr Rao.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Bangladesh is using the highly
porous West Bengal border. Trained teams cross over in the thick of the
night with their illicit loads.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> While Burmese cigarettes are
mostly brought in on country Sampans using</font>
<br><font color="#006600">coastal waters.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Pakistan, which has
joined the race, more recently, smuggled its deadly cargo across the sands
of Rajasthan using camel caravans, say customs officials.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Most of the manufacturers
are obscure companies like perfect tobacco and</font>
<br><font color="#006600">banani tobacco of Bangaladesh and Yonfong Kyukoke
of Burma.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> Mr. Rao who himself is a top
exporter of Virginia grade tobacco says, " I still don't understand the
economics of these manufacturers of smuggled cigarettes. Even if they used
the cheapest grade of tobacco, they can't make cigarettes at these prices,
its obvious there is far more than meets the eye."</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> The Delhi-based Indian Tobacco
Institute an apex organization of domestic cigarette manufacturers too
has written letters to commerce and industry secretaries, warning them
of this new hazard.</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> In his letter to the commerce
secretary Prabir Sen Gupta, A.C. Sarkar, the director of the ITI, points
out that "scale of international operations involved in contraband sale
of cigarettes has attained such great magnitude, that governments abroad
are taking concerted measures to curb this menace."</font>
<br><font color="#006600"> He adds that in India too " the
rapid and widespread distribution pf these contraband brands indicates
the existence of large scale and efficiently organized operations."</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<p> </html>
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