Contraband chimera choking industry

摘要

Argentina's tobacco industry has, unfortunately, become attractive to those who would profit through smuggling. The heavy tax burden on tobacco in our country, along with the marked tax differences with neighboring countries - not to mention our extensive borders - make our country very appealing to this unfair competition, which currently accounts for between 15% and 20% of the domestic cigarette market. Argentina has the heaviest cigarette tax burden of any MERCOSUR member at 68.2% of the consumer sale price. At the other end of this range is Paraguay, where taxation amounts to merely 21.0%. Closer by, Uruguay's tax level is 58.5% and Brazil is 60.0%.