Alleged Violations of Tobacco Control and Other Laws

Tobacco companies aggressively block, weaken, and undermine policies designed to protect public health and reduce tobacco use, and at times they have been found to work outside of countries’ laws. In multiple instances tobacco companies have been found to have violated the law.

In Syria, Japan Tobacco International (which owns the Silk Cut, Mayfair and Benson & Hedges brands) is under investigation after millions of its cigarettes were allegedly shipped to a firm linked to a billionaire accused of playing a key part in suppressing the popular uprising in Syria.

The European Union fraud agency investigated the link between Japan Tobacco International and Rami Makhlouf, who is subject to European Union and United States sanctions after Japan Tobacco International supplied more than 90 million Winston to Syria Duty Free Shops.