The Belgian Finance Ministry announced on Wednesday (23 October) that authorities had dismantled the country's 11th illegal cigarette production facility this year, marking a record number of discoveries in a single year, according to the Brussels Times on 24 October.
Ministry spokeswoman Florence Angelici said: "We know what we've seized," confirming that rising tobacco prices have led to a general increase in demand for cheaper, illegal cigarettes. (The illicit cigarette trade often involves the production or sale of counterfeit tobacco products and untaxed cigarettes).
The latest raid took place at a warehouse in East Flanders, which was equipped with tobacco cutting, production and packaging lines. Belgian customs and local police seized approximately 11 tonnes of tobacco and 5.6 million Rothmans and Marlboro cigarettes, resulting in an estimated loss of €6.2 million in tax revenue.
A report commissioned by Philip Morris International found that around 13% of illegal cigarettes consumed in the EU last year were smoked in Belgium.
Angelici noted that much of the domestically produced cigarettes are not sold locally, but are smuggled to high demand countries such as the UK and France. The proximity to a booming illicit cigarette market, as well as the country's ports and extensive road networks, make Belgium "highly attractive" to those involved in production and smuggling activities.
In 2024, Belgium seized nearly 205 million cigarettes, which the finance ministry estimates represents a loss of tax revenue of around €96 million.
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