OpSec Security has announced its investment in Europe’s first HP Indigo 6K Secure Digital Press, which offers both security and flexibility with its single-pass productivity and secure variable data options.

The Second Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) to the FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products concluded a few weeks ago, with some decisions adopted in record time.

Following the roll-out of secure track and trace on domestically manufactured tobacco products, Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has now extended the system to the next sector ‘on its list’: sugar.

OpSec Security, together with technology partner Scopsis SAL, has announced a new partnership with Régie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs (Régie Libanaise) to combat the illicit tobacco trade in Lebanon.

The International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) is calling for improvements to a directive that controls the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products in the European Union.

The purpose of this article is to outline the reasons we should look at the technologies being deployed for recycling as a potential opportunity. We will look at three technologies in various states of development and set them in context of our industry.

We are delighted that the Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ will be returning next year and that the tax stamp community will be able to gather together once again, in person, after what seems like a very long time.

The World Conference on Tobacco or Health recently hosted a virtual summit, in partnership with – among others – the World Health Organisation, WHO FCTC Secretariat and Framework Convention Alliance.

A number of new tax stamp launches have been reported recently in the media. On 1 January 2022, Bulgaria will introduce new stamps on tobacco products, with stamps for bottled alcohol beverages following three months later.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has claimed a staggering ZAR 19 billion ($1.28 billion) in unpaid taxes from just one company, Verbena Freight and Logistics Management, which has since been accused of tobacco smuggling. Most of the outstanding amount relates to customs duties.

In the July 2021 issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, an article discussed the legal issues surrounding cannabis (or marijuana to those of us who are a little older) in the United States, where many states have already put in place legislation to track and trace the illegal distribution of cannabis and protect tax revenues.

A new nationwide study among 2,000 US adults, commissioned by SICPA North America and conducted online by the Harris Poll, shows broad support for securely labelling cannabis products to verify their legitimacy and safety in the marketplace.

The visible digital seal technology, originally adopted by countries for travel document verification, is now gaining wider international acceptance as an affordable and efficient solution outside of the travel domain – including on tax stamps.

The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) has released its ‘Technology and Security: Countering Criminal Infiltrations in the Legitimate Supply Chain’ report.

The Tanzanian Parliamentary Budget Committee has commended the performance of the country’s tax stamp programme and has called for it to be extended to more products.

The International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) is being increasingly recognised by government revenue departments as an authoritative body of experts on tax stamp and traceability solutions for excise products.

Lately, we’ve been hearing of a growing number of companies that are offering, or expanding on, their market surveillance and product intelligence services as a way of helping enforcement officials and brand owners to quickly identify illicit trade activity in particular markets, and to act upon these activities before it is too late.

De La Rue recently announced a major investment to expand its existing facilities in Malta, in order to create a 29,000m2 manufacturing site. The expansion will double De La Rue Authentication’s manufacturing capacity for tax stamps and brand protection labels.

Nasdaq-listed VerifyMe, which uses physical, digital and online technology to create customised authentication, track and trace and customer engagement solutions, recently announced an initial order for 4 million VerifyMe technology-enabled labels from a new cannabis-related client.

In July, Russia’s new National Product Traceability System (NPTS) transitioned from being experimental and voluntary, to a mandatory scheme for businesses dealing in certain types of products. The new scheme was implemented alongside the already existing Chestny ZNAK (‘honest mark’) product traceability system, introduced in 2019.