Yesmoke Tobacco S.p.A.

The Colossus Confesses, with Proof in his Hands.

Antony Boccanfuso, attorney of the Arnold & Porter LLP Office in New York, is one of those lawyers who demolish the enemies of Philip Morris. On January 28th 2005, in his attempt to demolish Yesmoke, the lawyer informed Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox that the exact number of containers of cigarettes manufactured by Philip Morris and sold illegally every 12 months by the on-line store amounted to 126. A little more than six million cartons a year.

The attorney brought watertight evidence in favor of his Big Tobacco client, with which he is asking Yesmoke, based on the 126 containers per year sold online without “authorization”, to pay $ 550 million in damages. Read more »

Smoked by the Cops and the Robbers.

Marlboro's retail market share: $22 BILLION

"Philip Morris and R. J. Reynolds have had a determining role in the direction, management and control of the contraband operations within the European Community … through company directives issued at top company levels" (Official EU Documents).

Marlboros originally, were not so popular in Italy, but after 20 years of smuggling, the brand has become the unquestioned number one, eliminating the competition with its “duty-free” prices. The same thing has happened with Winston in Spain, after the division of the market with RJR.

Today Philip Morris finds itself with a business, the Marlboro brand, with an estimated worth of 22 billion dollars on a worldwide scale. “Marlboro's retail market share is bigger than the next ten cigarette brands combined”, says Jack Holleran, senior vice president of compliance and brand integrity Philip Morris USA. Read more »