Phoenicia Trading Group, the sole agent for Cuban cigars in Lebanon, has launched a media awareness campaign in local newspapers to bring the problem of counterfeited products to the attention of the Lebanese public.
The campaign was organized following a hike in fake Cuban cigars smuggled into the country over the course of the past six months.
“A lot of fake cigars with Cohiba rings were being circulated in the market and mostly used for gifts,” says Walid Saleh, managing director of the Phoenicia Group. “The customers who were receiving these gifts came to our shops to exchange them or complain about their quality. As a company our role is to draw the attention of cigar smokers to what’s happening in the market and guide them, so as to help them get value for their money when they are purchasing the goods.”
An estimated 400,000 fake cigars are being brought into the country annually according to the Regie Libanaise des Tabacs et Tombacs, representing some 10% of total imports, at a value of approximately $500,000.
“It’s not a tremendous problem when you look at the percentage it of the market,” notes a Regie employee, speaking on condition of anonymity. “These products are not [any more of] a health hazard, they contain plain tobacco, but they are feeding off the well-established Cuban brands. More than anything, the latter are the ones that are most affected by this.”
Yet Phoenicia-Beirut begs to differ, arguing that the counterfeiting is hurting the country as a whole.
“Falsified products are not only damaging the image of Havana cigars but also the reputation of Lebanon as a center of commercialization of Cuban cigars for the whole region,” says Saleh. “This is an image that took years to build, through the efforts of Phoenicia Trading and the support of the Regie.”
The bulk of the counterfeited products are being produced in Latin American countries, but a few also come from Europe. Locally printed rings are subsequently added to the cigars, which are then repackaged in nylon or recycled Cuban cigar boxes.
The products are sold door-to-door, but can also be found in shops and restaurants, both of which are liable for prosecution if caught.
