Malta Customs has seized more than 174 million cigarettes and 7,000 kilograms of tobacco, worth €43.85 million in five years.

In a statement on Tuesday, the department listed its seizures by year. 

In 2015:

• 803,880 cigarettes
• 505 kilograms of tobacco
  Total value €232,623;

In 2016: 

• 29,680,575 cigarettes
• 303 kilograms of tobacco
  Total value €7,476,185

In 2017:

• 21,687,951 cigarettes
• 220 kilograms of tobacco
  Total value €5,435,733

In 2018:

• 47,022,986 cigarettes
• 2,135 kilograms of tobacco
  Total value €11,877,468

In 2019:

• 73,923,822 cigarettes
• 1,465 kilograms of tobacco
  Total value €18,504,127

In 2020 (up to October):

• 747,349 cigarettes
• 2,271 kilograms of tobacco
  Total value €€329,494

A KPMG survey in 2019 shows that consumption of illicit cigarettes in Malta represents 10% of the market, down from 19.1% in 2016, 17.9% in 2017, and 10.7% in 2018, Customs said.

It added that local consumption of cigarettes and tobacco products generates €98.8 million in revenue.

It is estimated that 90% of local consumption is clean. The remaining 10% amounts to €9.8 million in endangered taxes.

Customs said it manages to recover 3% of the illicit market, averaging €325,000 annually.