In Russia, it was proposed to establish administrative and criminal liability for the illegal production of cigarettes, tobacco and vapes. The State Duma Committee on State Construction and Legislation recommended adopting such a package of bills in the second reading.
The documents were developed by the Government and are directed against counterfeiting in the tobacco market. One of the documents introduces a new article 14.57 into the Code of Administrative Offences on penalties for those who do not comply with the requirements for equipment and licensing in the tobacco market. For the production of cigarettes and vapes without a license, officials will have to pay 150-300 thousand rubles, and companies — from 300 thousand to 1 million rubles. Products and raw materials are subject to confiscation.
Equipment for the production of tobacco and nicotine-containing products must be registered in a special state register. If someone does not comply with this requirement and produces goods on unregistered equipment, the fine will be 3-5 thousand rubles for citizens, 100-150 thousand for companies, 20-50 thousand for officials.
The fine for the illegal production or sale of tobacco or nicotine products for citizens will amount to 30-50 thousand rubles.
Criminal liability is introduced for the unlicensed production and turnover of tobacco and tobacco products on a large scale or by an organized group. The maximum penalty will be a fine of 3-4 million rubles, five years of forced labor or imprisonment.
According to Nikolai Brykin, a member of the State Duma Committee on State Construction and Legislation, the law on state regulation of the turnover and production of tobacco and nicotine-containing products has already been adopted and published. New standards have introduced requirements for basic technological equipment — it must be registered in the state register. At the same time, the production, storage and supply of tobacco and nicotine products are subject to licensing. If this license is not available, the equipment must be mothballed. The turnover will be monitored through an information monitoring system.
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