Handmade Cigarettes

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The authorities have arrested vendors selling handmade cigarettes that contain up to 100 times more harmful substances than ordinary cigarettes. Here’s more.

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This store sells so-called "handmade cigarettes." These cigarettes sold briskly, as their prices were half that of ordinary cigarettes. The store even advertised that all-natural ingredients were used.

[Soundbite] (Handmade Cigarette Smoker (Voice modified)) : "They were cheap and the sellers said there were no harmful substances since they use only tobacco leaves. They even made them themselves."

The prosecution cracked down on four businesses that had manufactured and sold the illegal cigarettes through their franchise stores. They had sold them as luxury hand-rolled cigarettes with their own trademarks, but failed to mark the ingredients or post hazard warnings. Tests have shown that the hand-rolled cigarettes contain up to nearly 100 times more nicotine and tar compared to ordinary cigarettes. Stores received or bought the machines and tobacco leaves from the headquarters to make cigarettes at the site. The prosecution assumes that nearly nine million packs were sold last year alone through some 500 stores nationwide. If they were taxed properly, the tax revenues would have amounted to roughly 300 billion won.

[Soundbite] Roh Jeong-hwan(Tongyeong Branch, Changwon District Prosecutors' Office) : "Setting up the machine inside the store and letting customers make their own cigarettes is illegal, because it's just like the store owner manufacturing and selling the product."

The prosecution indicted and detained two chiefs of the main companies, including a 59-year-old Mr. Kim, and indicted 17 retailers without detention.