KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Intellectual Property Unit of the Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime (CTOC) says it partnered with Caribbean Cement Company Limited (CCCL), on Monday to destroy 624 cases of counterfeit cigarettes.

The counterfeit cigarettes were reportedly valued at an estimated JM $400 million.

Commenting on Monday’s proceedings in a release on Wednesday, Managing Director of CCCL, Jorge Martinez, said the company is happy to also play its part in ridding the nation’s streets of counterfeit products while advancing its environmental sustainability efforts.

“Through our Future in Action programme to reduce CO2 emissions, we are actively looking for alternative sources of fuel. Refuse-derived fuel such as these cigarettes offer that potential,” he said.

Meanwhile, head of CTOC’s Intellectual Property Unit, Deputy Superintendent Victor Barrett, expressed gratitude to CCCL for the assistance.

“It’s a signal that they are displaying great corporate citizenship. It’s a move that we welcome and could not do without this collaboration and partnership. This event is a success, and we could not have done it without the partnership of our corporate citizen, Cemex,” he said. “I want to stress that the criminals have formed alliances and as a consequence, we in law enforcement must form partnerships of our own, or else we will be isolated and weak.”

For his part, Managing Director of Carreras Limited, Franklin Murillo, noted that the smuggling and sale of counterfeit cigarettes has a deleterious effect on the business environment, government revenue, consumers, and the youth.

“This matter needs to remain the focus of law enforcement and other such agencies to ensure that consumers are protected, and government revenue secured. We will continue to play our part to ensure that this remains at the forefront,” he said.