Glass etching at BAT headquarters “Globe House” on the Thames in central London.
BAT emphatically rejects the mischaracterization of its anti-illicit trade activity reported by the BBC and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ). In a press release, BAT says that allegations of this nature are not new and have been covered extensively in various news media over several years.
BAT says it has fully cooperated with a UK Serious Fraud Office investigation, and in January 2021 SFO announced that, “following extensive investigation and a comprehensive review of the available evidence”, it had closed its investigation into BAT, its subsidiaries, and associated persons, without charge.
“The criminal illicit cigarette trade has a significant detrimental effect on society and should be the focus of collective effort and attention by all stakeholders,” said the press release which was unattributed to any BAT personnel. “Acting responsibly and with integrity underpins the foundations of our culture and values as a company. BAT is committed to the highest standards of corporate conduct and transparency wherever we operate.”
BAT says it is committed to fighting the global criminal trade in illicit tobacco. As part of those efforts, BAT sought to assist national law enforcement agencies in providing support and, in the past, intelligence on suspected illicit operators. The company says these efforts in combating illicit trade aim to help law enforcement agencies in the fight against the criminal trade in tobacco products with the aim of, “countering the seriously detrimental effects that illicit trade has on society."