7th National Forum on the Problem of Smuggling “Combating Smuggling – Challenges and Achievements”

As part of the Forum, the latest SKDS survey on the attitudes and tolerance of Latvia’s residents towards smuggling will be presented. The study highlights both public opinion on smuggling as a national issue and views on purchasing smuggled goods, awareness of where such goods can be obtained, as well as possible penalties and measures to reduce smuggling.

For example, the survey shows that public tolerance of smuggled goods in Latvia continues to decline – this year only 27% of respondents considered purchasing smuggled goods as not blameworthy, compared to 30% in 2024. Back in 2013, almost half of respondents – 46% – said buying smuggled goods was not wrong or condemnable.

The most common smuggled goods in Latvia remain cigarettes and other tobacco and nicotine products – 6% of respondents admitted buying these products in the past year, while another 8% said their friends or acquaintances had done so. In comparison, 2% of respondents said they had purchased smuggled fuel (3% said their friends or acquaintances had), while only 1% admitted buying smuggled alcohol (2% said their friends or acquaintances had).

The current situation in combating excise goods smuggling in Latvia will be presented by Baiba Šmite-Roķe, Director General of the State Revenue Service. Sandra Kārkliņa-Ādmine, Deputy Director of the Customs Board of the State Revenue Service, will address the challenges faced by customs in today’s geopolitical context. The Forum will also cover the latest research on the circulation and consumption of illicit cigarettes in Europe and Latvia.

After the presentations, a discussion will follow: “Proposals for Reducing the Illicit Market of Excise Goods – Are We Ready for New Challenges?”

Participants:

• Arnis Sauka, SSE Riga Professor, Shadow Economy Researcher, Head of the Centre for Sustainable Business at SSE Riga
• Arnis Kaktiņš, Director of the research centre SKDS
• Baiba Šmite-Roķe, Director General of the State Revenue Service
• Sandra Kārkliņa-Ādmine, Deputy Director of the Customs Board of the State Revenue Service
• Guntars Grīnvalds, Head of External Affairs, Philip Morris Latvia
• Representatives of the Ministry of Finance, State Revenue Service, and excise goods industry associations (discussion panel)

The Forum is organized by the Centre for Sustainable Business at SSE Riga in cooperation with SKDS.