Tobacco Underground

Montenegrins may have been surprised late last year to learn that the global financial crisis had arrived in their tiny Balkan country. Newspapers, the Internet, and even a James Bond film painted Montenegro as the Monte Carlo of Eastern Europe. The nation’s mountainous, tree-lined coast, medieval walled cities, and stone ruins set the scene for a boom in luxury hotels and private villas. Read more about Djukanovic’s Montenegro a family business

Bootlegging: Often called “buttlegging,” bootlegging refers to the act of smuggling tobacco products from low-tax to high-tax jurisdictions for resale, generally by individuals or small groups.

Cigarette dumping: The practice of selling cigarettes below the price usually charged in a domestic market in order to establish brand dominance and gain competitive edge.

Contraband: Goods smuggled into or out of a country. Read more about Glossary of Tobacco Smuggling