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so that products transferred among member countries are without trade and tax barriers including others obstructions. For this reason, imported products to the United Kingdom are free from tax charges. However, tobacco products are not tax free.

HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) and UK Border Agency (UKBA) are departments working to manage and control illegal cigarettes imported to the country. The HMRC is responsible for: (1) Tax collection management, and (2) Prevention and suppression of illegal tobacco tax avoidance by monitoring and impeding the illegal tobacco supply chain into the country and so on. The UKBA responds to information about illegal products and confiscates illicit tobacco products at the border. The UKBA arrests law breakers and then transfers them to the HMRC for further investigation and prosecution.

In 2000, illegal smuggling of tobacco products became more serious with 20% of cigarettes in the United Kingdom illegal smuggled cigarettes, with this expected to rise to 30% in a few years. For this reason, the United Kingdom lost income from cigarette taxes totaling 3,500 million pounds (175,000 million baht). Moreover, those cigarettes had more impact on public health. The previous problem that the United Kingdom encountering was that the illegal smuggled cigarettes were exported and later those cigarettes returned to the country. The new threat is that illegal smuggled counterfeit cigarettes now include cigarettes produced in the country and those produced outside the country (Non ? UK Brands or called ?Cheap White?). The transportation used to import these illegal smuggled cigarettes was normally entry into the country by post, cargo ship and aircraft.
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