FESTIVE SEASON AHEAD: The growing risk of illicit alcohol trading
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GUEST – Angela Russell, CEO of Drinks Federation of South Africa [DF-SA]
The growing illicit alcohol market presents a serious risk to both South Africa's economic recovery and the health of our citizens. This illegal industry undermines the industry’s efforts to support economic growth through its fiscal contributions and to alcohol harm reduction, impacting lives and livelihoods. This was the focus of discussions at the DF-SA roundtable held in Johannesburg under the theme “The Rise of Illicit Alcohol: A Collaborative Approach to Address Health and Economic Challenges”.
Angela Russell, CEO of DF-SA, stated, Illicit alcohol is on the rise, and that we need a multipronged, multi-stakeholder approach to contain it. The profitability in the trade of illicit alcohol has attracted organised crime and the penalties for smuggling and tax evasion are an insufficient deterrent. If left unchecked, this could become a runaway train, as on the African content the illicit alcohol accounts for 40% of the market.
The growing illicit alcohol market presents a serious risk to both South Africa's economic recovery and the health of our citizens. This illegal industry undermines the industry’s efforts to support economic growth through its fiscal contributions and to alcohol harm reduction, impacting lives and livelihoods. This was the focus of discussions at the DF-SA roundtable held in Johannesburg under the theme “The Rise of Illicit Alcohol: A Collaborative Approach to Address Health and Economic Challenges”.
Angela Russell, CEO of DF-SA, stated, Illicit alcohol is on the rise, and that we need a multipronged, multi-stakeholder approach to contain it. The profitability in the trade of illicit alcohol has attracted organised crime and the penalties for smuggling and tax evasion are an insufficient deterrent. If left unchecked, this could become a runaway train, as on the African content the illicit alcohol accounts for 40% of the market.