Legitimate cigarette prices are set to increase by 5% in September, pushing the standard cost of a single cigarette to approximately $2.20, with excise tax accounting for over half of this price.

Click PLAY to hear about the black market issue.

6PR Breakfast host Karl demonstrated to Millsy the ease with which black market cigarettes can be purchased online for less than a third of the legitimate cost.

“If we’re paying excise by buying legitimately, it can’t be that hard to close these people down. Not that I’m saying we should close them down, but the government surely could,” said Millsy.

“If they could, my point would be, why haven’t they?,” said Karl.

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