NCJ Number
199041
Journal
Trends in Organized Crime Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: Winter 2000 Pages: 3-31
Editor(s)
James Finckenauer
Date Published
2000
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This article summarizes the findings and conclusion of an assessment of the Canadian Government’s Anti-Smuggling Initiative (ASI), a 5-year program to combat contraband smuggling and cigarette smuggling.
Abstract
There is a long history of contraband smuggling into and out of Canada. This article begins by summarizing the historical and contemporary problem of contraband smuggling that affects Canada. During the settling of Western Canada, liquor was surreptitiously spirited into the country from the United States on a regular basis. It was not until the early 1990's that the scope of contraband smuggling into and out of Canada would rival that of the illicit liquor trade during Prohibition. The illegal transport of contraband tobacco into Canada was also great during this period. The rapid escalation of cigarette smuggling in the early 1990's promoted numerous calls for a concerted response by the Canadian Government. Made up of several initiatives, the National Action Plan to Combat Smuggling was instituted and begun in 1994-1995. Under this plan was the Anti-Smuggling Initiative (ASI) whose goal is to protect Canadian society and certain industry sectors and to restore public confidence in the ability of the government to maintain law and order. To accomplish this, activities would be coordinated to reduce the smuggling of contraband, increase compliance with the tax system, and contribute to the attack on organized crime and money laundering. The remainder of the article presents a 1998-1999 assessment on the impact of the ASI on smuggling enforcement and ultimately organized smuggling and contraband markets in Canada. The study focused on four major research questions. Study results found that the ASI had achieved moderate success in satisfying its short-term enforcement objectives, including a stronger interdiction capacity at the border, better inter-agency coordination, a reduction in organized smuggling activities, a reduced tax loss, third party/industry satisfaction, and the fulfillment of international commitments. The ability of the ASI to meet the long-term goals of reduced smuggling, increased compliance with the tax system, and a reduction in large, well organized smuggling operations and contraband distribution networks can only be assuaged by extrapolating the research findings, specifically the enforcement capacity of the partner agencies. References