BENEVENTO – The Guardia di Finanza continues its efforts to combat illicit trade: in recent days, the military of the Benevento Provincial Command have intensified controls in the context of economic surveillance of the territory, focusing in particular on the distribution chain of liquid inhalation products used for electronic cigarettes, often also coming from other countries of the European Union.
The attention of the Guardia di Finanza has focused on retailers and tobacconists in the Sannio capital, where targeted checks have been carried out in some commercial establishments. The inspections revealed the presence of liquid inhalation products without the state mark, an essential element to guarantee its authenticity and traceability. The absence of the unique identification code – as explained by the investigators – indicates the illicit origin of the products, placed on the market through unauthorized channels and without the regular payment of the consumption tax.
In two shops in the city centre, one of which did not have the required authorisation from the Customs and Monopolies Agency, the financial police have approximately 400 bottles containing liquid nicotine seized e approximately 2.000 bottles of concentrated aroma, for a total equivalent to over 60 kilograms of processed tobacco, as provided for by the Consolidated Law on Excise Duties.
I business owners those involved were reported at large to the Public Prosecutor's Office of Benevento on charges of trade in contraband products e stolen. The operation confirms the commitment of the Guardia di Finanza in combating tax evasion and fraud related to the market of alternative smoking products.
Please remember that, according to current legislation, inhalation liquids can be purchased exclusively through authorized tax warehouses, in order to guarantee consumer safety and compliance with tax rules. The activity is part of a broader plan of controls aimed at to protect public health and suppress all forms of illicit trade, with particular attention to sectors where the use of parallel channels and tax evasion is most frequent.
Article published on 8 April 2025 - 11:37
The article talks about checks but does not explain how the shops to check are chosen. The data on how many products were seized are interesting, but it is not known if there were fines and what were the reactions of the retailers.