From 1 June 2024, Kyrgyzstan plans to introduce mandatory marking on all types of fuel products. In particular, it is looking to mark gasoline and diesel fuel – sold exclusively at filling stations – with irremovable molecular markers.

A number of recent developments in tamper proof labels caught our attention, two of which are described in this article.

During his 2024 national budget speech, in February, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the South African Revenue Service (SARS) was deploying closed-circuit television (CCTV) and related technologies on the premises of licensed tobacco manufacturers, to address the high levels of illicit tobacco.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region has released a new research report on the illicit trade of tobacco in the region, with the conclusion that illicit levels are ‘generally not alarmingly high in most south-east Asian (SEA) countries’.

While many tax stamp programmes in operation today are delivering significant benefits (including increased tax collections), other programmes are not so successful. Why is this?

Pakistan’s economy is currently going through a crucial period, like many other economies in the world. Along with unprecedented floods and political turmoil, the economy is beset by skyrocketing interest rates and inflation, as well as a decline in imports.

Crane NXT, a leading industrial technology company, has signed a definitive agreement with Investcorp Technology Partners to acquire OpSec Security for $270 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments.

The state of Uttarakhand in India has invited bids for full polyester holographic tax stamps to replace paper-based stamps on alcohol products, amid protests that the polyester stamps contravene a country-wide government ban on single- use plastic items below 100 microns in thickness.

Some years ago, I was asked to give a speech to a Latin American country’s customs authority with respect to fuel marking. To prepare for my presentation, I spoke to several suppliers and did some research with respect to alternatives and positive results around the world.

It’s time to get your agendas out and save the dates for two in-person tax stamp and traceability events.

In our second 2024 interview with members of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), we speak to Barna Barabás, Co-Managing Director of JURA, a global brand name in security printing.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region has released a new research report on the illicit trade of tobacco in the region, with the conclusion that illicit levels are ‘generally not alarmingly high in most South-East Asian (SEA) countries’.

In the first of our 2024 interview series, we explore the tax stamp industry from an insider perspective, delving into its challenges, opportunities, and potential developments with International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members.

The Third session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (MOP3) concluded on 15 February, in Panama City, after taking ‘decisive action to combat illicit trade in tobacco products’, according to a press release from the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

In 2023, we analysed how Chile’s cigarette traceability system, SITRAF (Sistema de Trazabilidad Fiscal) had been performing since its inception in 2019. At that time, a study conducted by local economists found that the implementation of the system in Chile had resulted in better control of legitimate sales and increased revenues.

The programme for the third Optical and Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference is now available.

In this country case study, Tim McIntyre, Senior Director Excise Control, Canadian Bank Note Company, describes the journey to legalisation of recreational cannabis in Canada, including the launch of an excise regime for a brand new market.

In response to the European Union's (EU) Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiative, the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) has crafted comprehensive recommendations to ensure a secure and interoperable implementation.

During the 2023 Tax Stamp and Traceability Forum™, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, I chaired a panel discussion on a topic that remains of ongoing interest to tax authorities: how are tax stamps really being authenticated in the field, and how are inspectors ensuring taxpayer compliance?

In 2023, Sovereign Border Solutions (SBS) wrote a series of three articles for Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ focusing on free trade zones (FTZs) and how they have become ‘hotspots’ for the illicit economy.