Tobacco

Police in Greece said Thursday they have seized 21 tons of illegally imported tobacco at warehouses near Athens, allegedly used to make counterfeit branded smoking products.

Police said on Thursday they located a fully equipped illegal tobacco processing and production plant as part of an organized operation in an area of Attica.

Four people were arrested in connection with the case, accused of being members of a criminal organization and running the factory. The case file also includes the landlord, who is being sought by police.

Turkish security forces have seized some 3.6 tons of contraband tobacco in central Turkey, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.

Gendarmerie forces stopped a truck belonging to a cargo company in Niğde's Ulukışla district during regular patrols.

They confiscated 3.6 tons of contraband tobacco in the truck, the agency cited anonymous security sources as saying.

In a bid to crack down on the illegal trade in tobacco, the government is designing a new system that will issue products with unique traceability codes that will accompany each packet from the phase of production, through marketing and up until it reaches consumers.

Turkey 25 banned the import of e-cigarettes and related products, a presidential decree published on the Official Gazette showed on Feb. 25.

The ban covers all kinds of products used for electronic smoking, including e-cigarette devices, accessories, spare parts, and solutions.

A 35-year-old foreign national has been arrested for selling contraband tobacco outside the National Technical University of Athens on Stournari Street.
Police said the suspect was picked up on Thursday afternoon while trying to sell tobacco products to passers-by.

The shooting happened Wednesday night in two hookah lounges, and according to police, the suspect was found dead in his home and another body was found in his home.

The US government has announced that it will soon ban most of the flavoured e-cigarettes in an attempt to curb the growing number of young people who use them. However, the total ban promised by President Donald Trump in September will not be necessary, AFP reported.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted  turn to the fight against smoking - the number of male smokers is decreasing for the first time worldwide and is on the turn, BTA reports.

So far, the WHO has noted a regular increase in male smokers since recording their numbers over the past 20 years.

The US Congress has decided to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21 years across the country, France Press reported.

The change passed by the Senate is part of a measure made to the budget bill. It will enter into force in about nine months.