Full-Scale Crackdown Begins! State Council Launches Nationwide Tobacco Market Cleanup and Targets Illegal Activities Across the Entire Supply Chain

On December 5, the State Council convened an executive meeting to roll out a comprehensive campaign targeting illegal activities across the entire tobacco supply chain.

Authorities outlined that these violations mainly include the production, manufacturing, and sale of counterfeit cigarettes, as well as tobacco smuggling. According to officials from the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, tobacco is a heavily taxed commodity, making it a lucrative target for criminal groups both inside and outside the country. Driven by enormous profits, illegal operators have repeatedly taken risks to produce and smuggle counterfeit cigarettes. Under continuous high-pressure enforcement, domestic counterfeit production has significantly contracted, prompting these networks to relocate their operations to multiple countries and regions abroad, where they manufacture large quantities of fake cigarettes and smuggle them back into China.

At the same time, domestic counterfeiting and illegal sales have shown signs of resurgence. New forms of tobacco-related violations continue to emerge, disrupting market order and posing serious threats to consumer health. Officials emphasized the urgent need for strong, decisive measures to curb these activities.

The meeting stressed the need for a severe crackdown on tobacco-related illegal practices, calling for strengthened supervision and enforcement across every stage of the chain—from production and storage to logistics, distribution, and retail. The goal is to continuously purify the market environment and effectively safeguard national interests and consumer rights.

The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration stated that efforts will focus on improving regulatory frameworks, policies, and standards; establishing and refining coordinated enforcement mechanisms; and enhancing technological and manpower support. The campaign will target cross-border counterfeit production and smuggling with full force, maintain high-pressure enforcement against domestic violations, and strengthen oversight across all links of the tobacco industry. These measures aim to cleanse the market environment and protect the health and safety of the public.