Government presents draft legislation to combat contraband cigarette, tobacco sales

The law introduces checks all along the production line, as well as packaging, trade, distribution and retail sales, in a bid to prevent illegal trade and tax theft, while "cleaning up" the sector for the benefit of honest traders, who will regain their competitive advantage.

Nikoloudis, in a press conference, said that the new control systems will including an electronic tax and security band that will include all the information concerning the product, including its quality, provenance and route before sale at retail level. He said this will allow the authenticity of tobacco products to be confirmed, whether they packets, cartons, crates or even individual cigars.

All the information on the electronic band will also be uploaded onto a finance ministry database, he said.