China Cracks Down on Fake CigarettesChina is increasing its efforts to stub out production and sale of fake cigarettes to secure tax income and protect the consumers' interests, according to the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA).Statistics from the STMA show that in the first half of this year, the country's law enforcement officers dealt with 100,000 cigarette counterfeit cases, closing down 1,500 illegal cigarette factories and confiscated 3.1 billion counterfeited cigarettes. In March and April, the STMA and several other departments jointly launched a large-scale campaign in Henan and Guangdong. Three large illegal factories in Shaanxi, Heilongjiang and Guizhou were closed down. Meanwhile, the state tightened control over the production and use of cigarette paper and closed down 26 mills that turned out substandard cigarette paper during the first half of this year. |
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