Smuggling as the "key to a combined market": British American Tobacco in Lebanon

Tobacco Control

Volumn 17, Issue 5, 2008, Pages 324-331

  Nakkash, Rima ^a   Lee, K ^b  

^a AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT   (Lebanon)

^b LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; CRIME; HUMAN; INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION; LEBANON; LEGAL ASPECT; ORGANIZATION; STATISTICS; TOBACCO INDUSTRY;

CRIME; HUMANS; INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION; LEBANON; ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES; TOBACCO INDUSTRY;

EID: 53249087931     PISSN: 09644563     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1136/tc.2008.025254     Document Type: Article

References (135)

1. Assaad R, Roudi-Fahimi F. Youth in the Middle East and North Africa: demographic opportunity or challenge? Population Reference Bureau, 2007.
2. UN Population Fund. State of world population 2007. New York: United Nations, 2007.
3. Special Report: Tobacco industry, Sparking up. Executive (Beirut) November 2007:38-42.
4. Middle East Market Analysis. MENA market review. World Tobacco May 2005.
5. World Bank. Tobacco: health impacts and economics in the Middle East and North Africa Region. Washington: Human Development, Middle East and North Africa Region, 2002.
6. Jha P, Kent R, Son N, et al. Estimates of global and regional smoking prevalence in 1995, by Age and Sex. Am J Public Health 2002;92:1002-6.
7. Saade G, Abou Jaoude S, Afifi Soweid R, et al. Patterns of tobacco use: results from GYTS in Lebanon. WHO Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2008;(in press).
8. Draft law may reduce cigarette consumption. Daily Star Newspaper 2004; http://www.tobacco.org/news/168595.html (Accessed 4 April 2005).
9. Shechter R. Multinational interference and its demise. In: Smoking, culture and economy in the Middle East, The Egyptian Tobacco Market 1850-2000. London: IBTauris, 2006:96-116.
10. Cox H. The growth of an international cigarette industry. In: The global cigarette origins and evolution of British American Tobacco 1980-1945. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000:3-16.
11. Report on tobacco companies in their respective countries. 13 March 1961. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/h/j/h/hjh36a99/ hjh36a99.pdf.
12. Regie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs. Official website. www.regielibanaisedestabacs.com. (Accessed 3 May 2007).
13. Allanby J. Letter regarding circular from Lebanese Government, 2 Aug 1961. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/b/n/k/ bnk40a99/bnk40a99.pdf.
14. Regie workers' syndicate meets the Prime Minister. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 16 May 1974.
15. Ministerial dispute regarding the Regie. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 15 July 1974.
16. Urgent meeting to discuss Regie issues: reserve workers rights and postpone discussion about its status. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 14 July 1974.
17. Team International. Restructuring the Regie. Interim audit report, Investment Development Authority. Beirut: Team International, Idosuez Capital, E. Kanaan & Co, 1996.
18. Shafey O, Dolwick S, Guindon GE, eds. Tobacco control country profiles. Atlanta: American Cancer Society, 2003.
19. MacKay J, Eriksen M, Shafey O. The tobacco atlas. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: American Cancer Society, 2006.
20. British American Tobacco. Official corporate website. How we tackle illicit trade; http://www.bat.com/oneweb/sites/uk_3mnfen.nsf/ vwPagesWebLive/C17D2C9CCC29CB27C12571EA0058EAF9?opendocument&SID=&DTC= (accessed 2 May2007).
21. Framework Convention Alliance. How big was the global illicit tobacco trade problem in 2006? June 2007. http://www.fctc.org/x/documents/ HowBigWasThelllicitTobaccoTradeProblem_2006_English.pdf (accessed 2 May 2007].
22. Gilmore AB, McKee M. Moving east: how the transnational tobacco companies gained entry to the emerging markets of the former Soviet Union. Part I: Establishing cigarette imports. Tob Control 2004;13:143-50.
23. Joosens L, Raw M. Cigarette smuggling in Europe: who really benefits? Tob Control 1998;7:66-71.
24. International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Tobacco companies linked to criminal organizations in cigarette smuggling, China. Washington, DC: Center for Public Integrity, 2001. http://www.publicintegrity. org/report.aspx7aid=352&sid=100.
25. Collin J, LeGresley E, Mackenzie R, et al. Complicity in contraband: British American Tobacco and cigarette smuggling in Asia. Tob Control 2004;13(supp II):ii96-ii111.
26. Lee K, Collin J. 'Key to the future': British American Tobacco and cigarette smuggling in China. PLoS Medicine 2006;3:228-37.
27. Tobacco Free Kids. The Big Cigarette Companies and Cigarette Smuggling. Washington, DC: National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids, 18 May 2003. http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0044.pdf (accessed 2 May 2007).
28. International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Tobacco companies linked to criminal organizations in cigarette smuggling, Latin America. Washington, DC: Center for Public Integrity, 2001. http://www.publicintegrity.org/report.aspx?aid=35 (accessed 5 May 2007).
29. WHO EMRO. The cigarette "transit" road to the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq: Illicit tobacco trade in the Middle East. Cairo: WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, 2003. http://www.emro.who.int/tfi/ TFliraniraq.pdf (accessed 2 May 2007).
30. WHO EMRO. Coveting Iran: The infiltration and exploitation of Iran by global cigarette companies. Cairo: WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, 2000. http://www.emro.who.int/TFI/IranReport.doc (accessed 8 Mar 2005).
31. MacKenzie R, Collin J, Lee K. The tobacco industry documents: an introductory handbook and resource guide for researchers. London: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2003.
32. Bero L. Implications of the tobacco industry documents for public health and policy. Ann Rev Public Health 2003;24:267-88.
33. Balbach E. Tobacco industry documents: comparing the Minnesota Depository and internet access. Tob Control 2002;11:68-72.
34. Muggli ME, LeGresley EM, Hurt RD. Big tobacco is watching: British American Tobacco's surveillance and information concealment at the Guildford Depository. Lancet 2004;363:1812-9.
35. Collin J, Lee K, Gilmore A. Unlocking the corporate documents of British American Tobacco: an invaluable global resource needs radically improved access. Lancet 2004;363:1746-7.
36. Lee K, Gilmore A, Collin J. Looking inside the tobacco industry: revealing insights from the Guildford Depository. Addiction 2004;99:394-7.
37. George-Perutz A. Re: Transit Study. British American Tobacco. 25 August 1989. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/q/h/m/qhm97a99/qhm97a99.pdf.
38. British American Tobacco. Venezuelan Market Definitions and Assumptions. 25 August 1989. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/r/q/m/rqm87a99/ rqm87a99.pdf.
39. British American Tobacco. Review of Asia-Pacific Market, January 1995. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/l/y/b/lyb96a99/lyb96a99.pdf.
40. Forster N. The analysis of company documentation. In: Cassell C, Symon G, eds. Qualitative methods in organizational research: a practical guide. London: Sage, 1994:147-66.
41. Brown & Williamson. Marketing and operational plans 1982.10 Nov 1981. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=ibm33f00&fmt= pdf&ref=results.
42. Lebanese Regie. 30 Oct 1956. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/e/a/c/eac01a99/eac01a99.pdf.
43. Karyergatian V. Monopoly in the Lebanese Tobacco Industry [Masters Thesis]. American University of Beirut, 1965.
44. Itr N. The market of light cigarettes with special reference to Silk Cut [Masters Thesis]. American University of Beirut, 1984.
45. Salih M. The Lebanese Regie of Tobaccos and Tambacs:current problems and recommended solutions [Masters]. Beirut: American University of Beirut, 1990.
46. Tug of war between Regie and smugglers: products are available and anti-smuggling squads are absent. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 25 Jul 1977.
47. Meeting with Rotayil regarding smuggling of cigarettes and how to curb. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 31 Aug 1977.
48. Phillip Morris. Five year plan 1976-1980. 1976. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/kmp14e00/pdf.
49. Van Waay A. Lebanon. 25 Jan 1994. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/q/n/s/qns37a99/qns37a99.pdf.
50. Delaying Production of local Cigarettes serves foreign companies and their agents and causes great losses to the Regie. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 8 Jul 1974.
51. Minister of Finance discusses today the Regie Status and protection of local production. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 16 Jan 1975.
52. Heads of sale request from Karami and Chamoun to stop bribes and stealing in Regie. Al Safir Daily Newspaper 9 Jun 1985.
53. Sertial P. Importation of cigarettes to Lebanon. 8 Jan 1973. Lorillard. http://ltdlimages.library.ucsf.edu/imagesq/q/f/r/qfr90e00/ Sqfr90e00.pdf.
54. Richardson P. Lebanon Leaf. 14 Nov 1977. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/p/s/p/psp41a99/psp41a99.pdf.
55. Dominguez J. Régie Lebanon. 28 Feb 1977. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/k/z/p/kzp41a99/kzp41a99.pdf.
56. Drake RL. Notes of Meeting called by the Lebanese Regie and held at SEITA Head Office, Paris. 4 Nov 1977. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/q/s/p/qsp41a99/qsp41a99.pdf.
57. Dagher J. [Letter to RM Kink]. 8 February 1978. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/j/z/p/jzp41a99/jzp41a99.pdf.
58. Regie status unresolved for 20 years: importers flood the market with foreign cigarettes and local sales down leading to government losses. Sawt Al Ahrar Daily 11 September 1980.
59. Tobacco Merchants Association. International Tobacco Report Tobacco Trade Barometer Part 7 B. US Tobacco Trade by World Region. 20 Sep 1983. Lorillard. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/nlw74coo/pdf7search = %22nlw74c00%22.
60. Brown & Williamson. 1989-1993 Corporate plan. 1988. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=npl33f00&fmt=pdf&ref= results.
61. Philip Morris. EEMA Region presentation to the board of directors. Sept 1983. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc7tid=byt24e00&fmt= pdf&ref=results.
62. Philip Morris. Five year plan 1984-1988. March 1984. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=hhk85e00&fmt=pdf&ref= results.
63. Philip Morris. Lebanon Area V. 5-Year Plan. 1981. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=fhy19e00&fmt=pdf&ref= results.
64. Thoma W. EEMA weekly highlights. 19-23 Mar 1984. Philip Morris. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=tpt24e00&fmt=pdf&ref= results.
65. Thoma W. EEMA weekly highlights. 29 Oct-2 Nov 1984. Philip Morris, http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=ept24e00frfmt=pdf&ref= results.
66. Tolling W. Bi-Monthly Update. 6 May 1985. Brown & Williamson. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=pww21f00&fmt=pdf&ref= results.
67. Chamoun C. [Smuggling issue in Lebanon). 21 feb 1986. British American Tobacco. Bates No: 301183233. Available from Guildford Depository (accessed 15 June 2004).
68. Chebil K. [Letter by the Lebanese Ministry of Finance]. 16 Jun 1986. British American Tobacco. Bates No: 301183230/3232. Available from Guildford Depository (accessed 15 June 2004).
69. Regie administration responds to the accusation: Tobacco Mafia. Al Sharq 18 April 1985.
70. Williams A. [ATC's decision to appoint Gallaher International]. 1984. American Tobacco Company. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/hcx24f00.
71. Brookes N. Lebanon. 31 Jan 1994. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/k/n/s/kns37a99Ans37a99.pdf.
72. Gourlay N. Re: Project Leader for Lebanon/Jordan. 14 Jul 1994. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/k/m/s/ kms37a99Ams37a99.pdf.
73. Gourlay N. B&W Margins in the Mideast/Africa. 25 Apr 1988. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/v/l/t/vlt01a99/ vlt01a99.pdf.
74. Schildt E. British American Tobacco.1983. Commission payment to S. Khanamirian. British American Tobacco. Bates No: 301515421/54222. Available from Guildford Depository (accessed 15 June 2004).
75. Macleod TA. Re: Lebanon-Draft Strategy Document. 16 Aug 1995. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/p/k/s/pks37a99/ pks37a99.pdf.
76. Matthew J. Company denies cigarette smuggling allegations. Cyprus Mail 2001. http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/cmnews/2001/01-12-18. cmnews.html#01.
77. Brown & Williamson. Position statement 23 Apr 1990. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/t/u/u/tuu34a99/tuu34a99.pdf.
78. US District Court. United States District Court for the Southern district of New York. [1989]. British America Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf. edu/tid/cbd34a99.
79. Frigon H. [Letter to P Sheehy]. 30 Aug 1989. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/m/g/q/mgq54a99/mgq54a99.pdf.
80. Hendershot ML. [Letter to Nick Cannar]. 15 Oct 1990. Brown & Williamson. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/x/u/k/xuk50a99/xuk50a99.pdf.
81. Investigation on transit shipments. 1 Jun 1987. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/a/v/k/avk50a99/avk50a99.pdf.
82. Corporate long-term performance objectives. 1990. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/o/f/w/ofw00a99/ofw00a99.pdf.
83. BAT. 1988-1992 five year plan. Jan 1998. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/r/t/o/rto20a99/rto20a99.pdf.
84. Sandefur T. [Letter to UG Herter]. 14 Sep 1993. British American Tobacco, http://bat.libcary.ucsf.edu/data/o/o/j/oojl 1a99/ooj11a99.pdf.
85. Stephenson R. Israeli production can double if market opens. Dec 1979. Brown & Williamson. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc7tid= phk90f00&fmt=pdf&ref=results.
86. 1.3 million box to Syria in 1991: stopping smuggling did not work, 3 million into Lebanon and beyond. An Nahar Daily 1 Jun 1992.
87. Syrian crop reduction due for 1982; smuggled foreign brands abound. Tob Int 1982;6:5-8.
88. Aitken D. Jordan and Lebanon meeting notes. 28 Oct 1994. British American Tobacco. httpy/bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/z/l/s/zlsa99/zls37a99.pdf.
89. O'Hara S. Syria. 14 Dec 1994. British American Tobacco. Bates No: 503859032/ 9034. Available from Guildford Depository (Accessed 15 June 2004).
90. Van Waay A. Lebanon. 25 Jan 1994. British American Tobacco. http://bat.libraryucsf.edu/data/q/n/s/qns37a99/qns37a99.pdf.
91. Booth JK. Syria market visit. 19 September 1988. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/f/v/g/fvg38a99/fvg38a99.pdf.
92. Abdalla Y. Trip notes-Syria-21st-28th Sept, 88.3 October 1988. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/j/v/g/jvg38a99/ jvg38a99.pdf.
93. Reynolds G. Subject: Lebanon. 1987. British American Tobacco. Bates No: 301554795. Available from Guildford Depository (accessed 6 June 2007).
94. Wisner J. Monthly Report, May 1986. 23 Jun 1986. Brown & Williamson. http;//legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=eta30f00&fmt= pdf&ref=results.
95. Wisner J. Monthly report. Feb 1987. Brown & Williamson. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=eaj61f00&fmt=pdf&ref= results.
96. Miningham G. Re: Lebanon/Cyprus-trip notes February 17-21, 1987. 24 Feb 1987. Brown and Williamson. http://ltdlftd.library.ucsf.edu/action/ docunnent/view?tid=Jne61f00.
97. Staunskjaar B. Lebanon trip notes17 to 20 March 1983, 20 Mar 1983. British American Tobacco. Bates No: 301515409/5410. Available from Guildford Depository (accessed 15 June 2004).
98. Brown & Williamson. Corporate plan 1992-1996. 1992. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/c/v/i/cvi31a99/cvi31a99.pdf.
99. Regie decides to fight smuggling. Al Safir Daily 22 Sep 1987.
100. Wisner J. Monthly Report, September 1986. 21 Oct 1986. Brown & Williamson. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=cta30f00&fmt= pdf&ref=results.
101. Henchtey R. Legal Matters-October board meeting. 1 Oct 1987. British American Tobacco, httpy/bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/h/q/w/hqw10a99/ hqw10a99.pdf
102. Anti smuggling given to private company. Al Safir Daily 25 Oct 1987
103. Militia companies given the task to stop smuggling by sea, air, and land. Al Safir Daily 24 Dec 1987.
104. Regie director explains how private companies are fighting smuggling: smuggling almost stopped. Al Amvar Daily 1987;5 Oct.
105. BATUKE. Company plan 1992-1996. Oct 1991. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/j/d/p/jdp70a99/jdp70a99.pdf.
106. Green JL Meeting between BWIT and BATUKE on Friday 19 July 1991. 22 Jul 1991. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/u/k/w/ ukw31a99/ukw31a99.pdf.
107. Tweed H. Lebanon. 1994. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/u/l/s/uls37a99/uls37a99.pdf.
108. Nine year old procedure: decision to allow militias to sell Regie products. Al Safir Daily 27 Sep 1987.
109. BATUKE. Company plan 1991-1995, Part I. October 1990. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/i/s/i/isi87a99/isi87a99.pdf.
110. 1st Quarter PAO Report. 1981. Brown & Williamson. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=wye33f00&fmt=pdf&ref= results.
111. Booth K. Job description-area manager-Red Sea/Central. 13 Nov 1987. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/s/u/w/suw95a99/ suw95a99.pdf
112. Clarice PL Organisation. 15 Oct 1993. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/o/m/k/omk41a99/omk41a99.pdf.
113. Baker M. Notes on ME trip. 1993. British American Tobacco. Bates No: 301661793/1795. Available from Guildford Depository (Accessed 15 June 2004)
114. Souza Cruz. Major brands performance. 1993. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/b/u/k/buk80a99/buk80a99.pdf.
115. Brown & Williamson 1994-1998 five year plan. Dec 1993. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/j/c/l/jcl11a99/jcl11a99.pdf.
116. Van Waay A. Lebanon. 1994. British American Tobacco, http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/f/n/s/fns37a99/fns37a99.pdf.
117. Brown & Williamson 1992-1996 corporate plan. Jan 1992. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/j/r/o/jro90a99/jro90a99.pdf
118. British American Tobacco. Lebanon: Barclay launch 1995. Bates No: 500331198. Available from Guildford Depository (accessed 15 June 2004).
119. Gourtay N. Lebanon. 8 Mar 1995. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsfedu/data/h/l/s/hls37a99/hls37a99.pdf.
120. Tweed H. Lebanon. 28 Sept 1994. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/d/m/s/dms37a99/dms37a99.pdf.
121. Brown & Williamson. 1991-1995 corporate plan. Jan 1991. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/data/r/g/s/rgs51a99/ rgs51a99.pdf
122. Regie. Total Import Units of Cigarettes, http://www. regielibanaisedestabacs.com/images/graph4.jpg (accessed 14 January 2008).
123. Brown & Williamson. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation. Jan 1991. British American Tobacco. http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/ data/r/g/s/rgs51a99/rgs51a99.pdf.
124. Zawya Middle East Business News and Company Directory. Smoke smuggling. Executive. November 2006. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/ sidZAWYA20061107122448 (accessed 5 January 2006).
125. Adwan C. Corruption in reconstruction: the cost of national consensus in post-war Lebanon. Center for International Private Enterprise 1 Dec 2004. http://www.cipe.org/pdf/publications/fs/adwan.pdf (accessed 20 Mar 2007).
126. Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. Illicit trade: questions and answers. http://tobaccofreecenter.org/files/pdfs/ILL-%20QA-jan08.pdf (accessed 23 Feb 2008).
127. Philip Morris to help curb cigarette smuggling in Lebanon. Daily Star Sept 2007.
128. BAT signs memorandum of understanding. An Nahar Daily 1 Nov 2007.
129. Training campaign to fight smuggling and counterfeit cigarettes. An Nahar Daily 8 Nov 2007.
130. Training session in cooperation between the Regie and Philip Morris. An Nahar Daily 23 Feb 2008.
131. British American Tobacco. British American Tobacco's views on the FCTC Protocol on Illicit Trade. November 2007. http://www.bat.co.uk/ group/sites/uk_3mnfen.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/D06ZYC4S/$FILE/medMD79RJU8. pdf?openelement (accessed 5 January 2008).
132. Joossens L, Raw M. Turning of the tap: the real solution to cigarette smuggling. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2003;7:214-22.
133. Joossens L, Chaloupka FJ, Merriman D, et al. Issues in the smuggling of tobacco products. In: Jha P, Chaloupka F, eds. Tobacco control in developing countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000:393-406.
134. Shepherd P. Transnational corporations and the international cigarette industry. In Profits, progress and poverty. Case studies of international industries in Latin America. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1985.
135. Breton E, Richard L, Gagnon F, et al. Fighting a tobacco-tax rollback: a political analysis of the 1994 cigarette contraband crisis in Canada. J Public Health Policy 2006;27:77-99.