CNA938 Rewind - Inside ASEAN’s illicit tobacco boom: Billions lost, black markets rising

A new report by the EU-ASEAN Business Council and Euromonitor International reveals ASEAN governments are estimated to have lost more than US$13 billion in tax revenue over two years due to illicit cigarettes and illegal vape products. From smuggling networks and porous borders to Telegram sales and online marketplaces, Susan Ng and Hairianto Diman look at what’s driving the illicit tobacco economy, why enforcement is struggling to keep up, and whether current tax and vape policies may be producing unintended consequences. For more, they speak with Chris Humphrey, Executive Director, EU-ASEAN Business Council.