Open pack of cigarettes standing upright.
Share this @internewscast.com

PUNITIVE tobacco taxes have blown a £1.4 billion black hole in Treasury coffers, as smokers turn to black market cigs.

A staggering £3.1 billion in excise tax from various goods was lost last year to smugglers, counterfeiters, and illegal sellers, as Brits turned away from official shops in favor of cheap, illicit goods.

Open pack of cigarettes standing upright.
Punitive tobacco taxes have blown a £1.4 billion black hole in Treasury coffersCredit: Getty

That’s enough cash to pay the wages of over 60,000 nurses or hand out Winter Fuel Payments to every pensioner in the UK.

The biggest tax gap came from fags, followed by beer, which had hole of £700m.

Stephen Rooney from Imperial Brands stated: “These troubling figures highlight the extent and magnitude of Britain’s expanding illegal tobacco black market, which is currently denying the Treasury billions in lost tax annually.

“Smoking rates are not decreasing, and continually rising duties are simply driving customers towards the unregulated black market, which contributes nothing in tax.”

One in four fags in the UK now comes from the black market, where a pack can cost as little as £5, over three times cheaper than a legal pack of Marlboro Gold in British supermarkets.

In just three years, duty-paid cigarette sales have plunged nearly 45 per cent, from 23.6 billion in 2021 to just 13.2 billion now.

Rolling tobacco sales have also been slashed almost in half.

Yet smoking rates aren’t falling and have instead crept up in some parts of England for the first time in nearly 20 years, according to University College London research.

Reform Deputy Leader Richard Tice said: “Hard working Brits, feeling the squeeze in their pockets, are turning to under the counter options, and who can blame them?

“The government’s tax policy is pricing them out of legitimate goods.

“Labour chooses not to partner with above board businesses, but with organised criminal gangs instead.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Bryan Kohberger to plead guilty to killing University of Idaho students

Bryan Kohberger Plans to Admit to Murdering University of Idaho Students

A change of plea hearing was set for Wednesday, but the families…
Four young men rescue dog, save East Arlington house from fire

Four Young Heroes Save Dog and Prevent House Fire in East Arlington

The men were riding around their neighborhood Sunday evening when they noticed…
Berwyn shooting: 3 shot at Juniors Bar & Grill on Ogden Avenue, police say

Shooting Incident at Juniors Bar & Grill: Three People Injured on Ogden Avenue, According to Police

BERWYN, Ill. (WLS) — Three people were shot at a west suburban…
HHS Finds Harvard in Violation of Title IX Over Antisemitism on Campus

Harvard Found in Title IX Violation Over Campus Antisemitism by HHS Investigation

If there aren’t some long faces around Harvard Yard this morning, there…
JK Rowling Gets Final Word After Trans-Activist Attacker Ends Up Behind Bars For Child Rape

JK Rowling Responds After Trans Activist Sentenced to Prison for Child Rape

On Monday, in a post on X, the renowned “Harry Potter” author…
Audio released of moment Idaho firefighters ambushed while responding to blaze: 'Emergency situation'

Idaho Firefighter Ambush: Suspected Gunman Named

The alleged sniper who killed two firefighters and wounded a third in…

Frightening Videos Capture Flash Floods Sweeping Through Italian Towns, Resulting in One Death and Dozens Trapped After Storm

TERRIFYING footage shows flash floods ripping through towns in northwestern Italy. Franco…
Ukrainian PoW with ‘Glory to Russia’ BURNED on skin says sick ‘Calling Putin’ torture method left him begging for death

Ukrainian Prisoner of War Claims ‘Glory to Russia’ Was Burned Into Skin; Describes Torturous ‘Calling Putin’ Method That Left Him Pleading for Death

A UKRAINIAN prisoner of war who had the words “Glory to Russia”…
'Lawn guy' accused of throwing party at former client's home while they were on vacation: 'Epic failures'

“‘Lawn Maintenance Worker’ Allegedly Hosts Unauthorized Party at Vacant Client’s Residence: A Series of Missteps”

A North Carolina landscaper found himself in the weeds after allegedly throwing…
Disney-Pixar's 'Elio' Was Originally Going to Be a 'Queer-Coded' Character Before Leadership Stepped In

Disney-Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Almost Featured as a ‘Queer-Coded’ Character Until Leadership Changed Direction

Recent information reveals that Disney/Pixar’s new movie “Elio” initially intended for its…
Family rescues diamondback terrapins from storm drains

Family Saves Diamondback Terrapins Trapped in Storm Drains

VENTNOR, New Jersey — Since childhood, Evelyn Kidd has been using a…
Man in a light gray shirt giving a thumbs up.

Who is Bryan Kohberger? Suspect in Idaho College Murders Explained

BRYAN Kohberger was charged with committing the brutal murders of four students…