NEW: Together with 12 partners, we reveal how #ChinaTobacco 🇨🇳 — the world’s largest tobacco company — has flooded black markets worldwide 🚬
Ethically dubious and, in some cases, outright illegal practices are often involved — especially smuggling.
occrp.org/en/loosetobacc…
Ethically dubious and, in some cases, outright illegal practices are often involved — especially smuggling.
occrp.org/en/loosetobacc…
What is China Tobacco?
It’s a Chinese state-owned conglomerate that produces 44% of the world’s cigarettes. Most are smoked domestically, but int’l sales have surged since it jumped on China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2015.
Read this FAQ for more: occrp.org/en/loosetobacc…
It’s a Chinese state-owned conglomerate that produces 44% of the world’s cigarettes. Most are smoked domestically, but int’l sales have surged since it jumped on China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2015.
Read this FAQ for more: occrp.org/en/loosetobacc…
Since China Tobacco went global, its brands — like Regina or Marble — have popped up around the world, including in countries where it's illegal to sell them.
The cigarettes are often made in factories outside of China with tobacco sourced from farms abroad as well.
The cigarettes are often made in factories outside of China with tobacco sourced from farms abroad as well.
How do these cigarettes end up in illegal markets? The answer often involves smuggling.
Reporters have uncovered networks connected to #ChinaTobacco that moved its cigarettes to smugglers in Latin America.
Reporters have uncovered networks connected to #ChinaTobacco that moved its cigarettes to smugglers in Latin America.
While the scale of #ChinaTobacco growth is unprecedented, its tactics are hardly novel.
Experts suggest the Chinese company has taken a page out of the #BigTobacco playbook: flood countries with cigarettes, working with smugglers to do so.
Experts suggest the Chinese company has taken a page out of the #BigTobacco playbook: flood countries with cigarettes, working with smugglers to do so.
Because China Tobacco is wholly state-owned, it puts the Chinese gov’t in the awkward position of working directly against the "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control," a global treaty overseen by the @WHO aimed at reducing smoking.
The #ChinaTobacco project consists of several investigations, most of which will be published throughout today.
Subscribe to the OCCRP newsletter to get detailed breakdowns of our latest work.
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Subscribe to the OCCRP newsletter to get detailed breakdowns of our latest work.
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