News

Thursday June 21, 2012

Illicit ciggies from Indonesia look the same as legal brands


KUALA LUMPUR: Illicit cigarettes from Indonesia using legal brands are flooding the market and sold very cheaply under the counter.

They are the spitting image of local brands readily available in the market, from the gruesome picto-rial warnings right down to the security ink strip found at the bottom of each pack.

However, closer inspection reveals them to be counterfeit. For example, the manufacturer's name and address, which are mandatory on packets, are slightly different from the original.

Holy smoke, this stuff’s fake!: Zainul Abidin using a validator to check the validity of the security ink on a cigarette pack. The top pack is fake, while the bottom one is a genuine pack as the diamond-shaped security imprint with the initial MY disappears when viewed with the validator.

The Customs Department, when shown the packets, also confirmed that the security ink strip was fake.

Click on image for larger view.

*Full story in The Star today

Related Stories:
Batam-produced fags imported and sold below minimum price
Customs Dept can't act against foreign-based plants

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story
  • Bookmark and Share