Customs Smash Tobacco Factory

Public Affairs

United Kingdom
Customs Smash Tobacco Factory
Ipswich—Revenue and Customs investigators jailed three men who participated in the illegal production of hand rolling tobacco.

Raymond Blackburn, 42 was jailed for three years, Michael James, 50, sentenced to two, and Barry Chuter, 48, has been jailed for 12 months. Two other men have also been convicted, and have yet to be sentenced.

These men worked in a illicit enterprise which manufactured hand-rolling tobacco that was to be sold on the black market, and were using equipment capable of processing approximately two tons of raw tobacco per hour. The total evaded tax comes to approximately GBP 452,000.

Sichuan Province to Concentrate on Building a High Quality Leaf Tobacco Base

Leaf News

China
Sichuan Province to Concentrate on Building a High Quality Leaf Tobacco Base
Sichuan — During a meeting between the Provincial Committee Secretary of Sichuan, Liu Qibao, and Jiang Chengkang, the director of STMA, Liu said the Sichuan government has been making efforts to improve its leaf tobacco industry.

Sichuan will move more purposefully towards modernizing the agricultural methods used for tobacco, increase the quality of its leaf tobacco and build a national strategy for its tobacco production. The Jiaozi brand is to be built into a high quality brand, and Sichuan itself will aim to strengthen the flavor of its tobacco leafs in the coming years.

Jiang confirms these plans and said that STMA will support Sichuan in these endeavors.

Sichuan has become the leaf tobacco production base for the Chunghwa, Furongwang, Huanghelou, and Hongtashan brands.