Part 9/10:
The Plight of Legal Retailers
Legal tobacconists find themselves facing an uphill battle against this black-market onslaught. With fewer customers turning up—and many shifting to illicit purchases—business owners express their growing desperation. Some have reported as much as a 40% drop in sales as more consumers gravitate towards cheaper, illegal options. As they fight to keep their businesses afloat, it becomes a complicated standoff where legitimate shop owners become collateral damage in a showdown with organized crime.