Putin signed a law on punishing the sale of tobacco products without labeling

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law criminalizing the production, storage, transportation, sale and marketing of nicotine-containing and tobacco products without mandatory labeling or information provided for by law. The relevant document was published on July 23 on the website of the official publication of legal acts.

This law is aimed at combating the illegal market of tobacco and nicotine-containing goods, which are sold without control codes and information that allows tracking the origin of products and the payment of excise taxes.

In accordance with the innovation, it is established that such practices carried out on a large scale (the cost of goods exceeds 100 thousand rubles) will be punished in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If the amount of violations exceeds 1 million rubles, the act will be considered to have been committed on a particularly large scale.

In addition, the maximum penalty for the crime will be imprisonment for up to three years with a fine of up to 120 thousand rubles or in the amount of salary for a period of up to six months. Previously, such punishment was applied in the manufacture and sale of unmarked alcohol and tobacco products on a large scale.

Smoke mixtures: where illegal tobacco comes from in Russia

Counterfeit goods are traded through messengers and in large markets.

On June 23, it was reported that State Duma deputies from the Fair Russia — For Truth faction plan to submit to the House of Parliament a package of bills aimed at introducing a complete ban on the sale of nicotine-containing products and administrative liability for the sale of vapes and electronic cigarettes. So, for sellers they want to impose a fine from 25 thousand to 50 thousand rubles, for legal entities — from 500 thousand to 1 million rubles.

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