Philip Morris International Launches COVID-19 Anti-Fraudulent Goods Campaign

PMI, joined by a coalition of 10 private-sector partners, launched a new initiative to spotlight resources available to help combat the trade in fraudulent goods. The public awareness campaign is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to tackling illegal trade.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) today launched a new advertising campaign designed to raise awareness of the trade in fraudulent personal protective equipment amid the COVID-19 crisis, and spotlight the resources available to combat the trade in these goods.

The campaign will run for two months across the U.S. and is supported by other private industry brand integrity leaders and organizations dedicated to fighting illicit trade, including:

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• United States Council for International Business (USCIB)
• Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT)
• Merck & Co., Inc.
• Procter & Gamble Company
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Under Armour
• SAS
• Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection Center at Michigan State University
• Luna Global Networks

“Government agencies are doing all they can and are achieving success intercepting these products and equipment—but many fraudulent products still are being illegally distributed,” said Martin King, CEO of PMI America.

“PMI is pleased to be joined by so many in the private sector who are all too familiar with the insidious trade in illegal goods and the vast international criminal networks that profit from deception,” added King.

To date, there have been nearly 1,000 COVID-19 related seizures of prohibited test kits and medicine, counterfeit masks and other equipment in the U.S., which has accounted for $17.9 million in disrupted transactions and recovered funds.

PMI has more than two decades of experience fighting illicit trade in tobacco products. We invest significantly in supply chain controls through preventive and protective measures; implement track-and-trace solutions worldwide in line with strict regulatory requirements; and apply comprehensive due diligence of customers and suppliers. PMI works with private and public actors alike to help advance global anti-illicit trade efforts, including through PMI IMPACT, a global initiative supporting third-party projects against illegal trade and related crimes. Furthermore, the company supports anti-illicit trade regulations, including the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products and the tracking and tracing provisions under the EU Tobacco Products Directive.

For more information about PMI’s illicit trade prevention efforts, visit StopIllegal.com.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its shareholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products and associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the United States. In addition, PMI ships a version of its IQOS Platform 1 device and its consumables authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to Altria Group, Inc. for sale in the U.S. under license. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI's smoke-free IQOS product portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of March 31, 2020, PMI estimates that approximately 10.6 million adult smokers around the world have already stopped smoking and switched to PMI's heat-not-burn product, available for sale in 53 markets in key cities or nationwide under the IQOS brand. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.