(Ecofin Agency) - In Morocco, Philip Morris International (PMI) wants to deal with the contraband of cigarette. In effect, the group has announced the upcoming launch of a campaign entitled “All against illegal trade”.

To understand the motivations of the Marlboro maker to take up this crusade, it is important to know that the top world producer of cigarette estimated its net losses in Morocco to 300 million dirhams, the website Telquel.ma reports. Losses to which the illicit trade of cigarettes is no stranger.

However the media continues, this desire to fight against contraband could be a smokescreen for the one meant to condition the market to the establishment of a cigarette production plant in Morocco. Indeed, the group who until now was distributing its production through the Société Marocaine des Tabacs (SMT) could consider a direct launch of cigarette manufacturing in the country.

If Abla Benslimane, Corporate Affairs Manager for the Moroccan subsidiary of PMI, did not want to share details on the accuracy of this information, she just reminded that “the possibility of establishing new production factories is part of an array of conceivable solutions, but nothing has been done or decided yet”. And she concluded by announcing that her company would communicate on this matter in due time. Which should give free rein to speculations.