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Fighting Counterfeit

Fighting against counterfeit means more than simply protecting our brand image. It also means protecting the quality of our products, as well as helping to protect consumers from products that may pose health risks. The end goal is for our customers to have a truly unique experience when smoking a cigar that only the best quality control practices can ensure.
The delicate nature of the cigars and their hygroscopic properties make strict temperature and humidity controls through the supply chain imperative. A break in humidity or temperature in the supply chain not only will affect the draw of the cigar, but can also cause mould or Lacioderma (cigar beetles) to appear. If stored in a humidor with other cigars, infected cigars with  Lacioderma will trigger a chain reaction that can quickly destroy the quality of the whole collection.
It is our endeavour at Cingari to ensure we control and oversee all parts of the chain in our product’s life cycle, from the purchase and storage in our warehouse to the choice of distribution channels. We can thus guarantee our clients that the articles they purchase are genuine.
One way to ensure that cigars and cigar accessories are genuine is to purchase them only from retailers authorized by Cingari.
Please click here for more information on our boutiques and authorized points of sale.
What does Cingari do to fight against counterfeit?
Our main efforts in counterfeit stem from our work with customs. Only the brands and SKUs provided by Cingari are registered in customs and accounted for with the proper import duties, therefore being legally allowed to circulate in the market. All cigars that are purchased from Habanos S.A. are stored in our humidity and temperature-controlled Custom Bonded Warehouse. Items are transferred from the Special Bonded Warehouse to the Private Bonded Warehouse as duties are paid and then released in the Indian market.
Furthermore, Cingari has a team who regularly conducts investigations and raids against those involved at all levels in the counterfeit supply chain: wholesalers, retailers and warehousing, and takes legal action whenever required.
Despite our best efforts, there is always the possibility and danger of counterfeit cigars being sold in the market. Hence, Cingari is also involved in on-going consumer education efforts designed to inform the public about the identification and risks of counterfeits.
How to be sure that a Habano cigar is genuine?
There are several authenticating marks that you should look for when buying Habanos:
1. The Cuban Government warranty seal: The warranty seal was first introduced in 1889 by Royal Decree of the King of Spain. In 2009, Habanos S.A. released a new version with a hologram on each seal as well as an individual bar code that tracks every box of Habanos from production to each Habanos S.A. exclusive distributor anywhere in the world. The bar code allows you to find out if a box is genuine by using the Authenticity Check you will find on Habanos S.A.’s website at www.habanos.com
2. Denomination of Origin: Since 1994 all boxes have carried the Habanos seal as a mark of the cigars’ denomination of origin. No box of Habanos is shipped from Cuba without it.
3. Cingari Seal: Cingari’s certifying mark guarantees that all the cigars come directly from Habanos S.A. in Cuba, that each box has been shipped and stored by experts in the required temperature and humidity environment, that all the boxes have passed Cingari’s quality check and that all the Indian import duties have been paid.
4. Bottom of the box: Since 1960, the bottoms of all Habano boxes have been hot-stamped with the words ‘Hecho en Cuba’. Underneath, the boxes containing cigars totally handmade will carry the word “Totalmente a mano”. Additionally, if the cigars are Tripa corta– Short Filler – the box will have an ink stamped with the letters TC.
A few other pointers:
1. Location – Purchase only from a Cingari supplied vendor. Items sold at flea markets, home parties, street vendors or unauthorized websites are likely to be fake. In this regard, we have initiated the Habanos Retail Network, an accreditation of utmost quality that we as the exclusive distributors of Habanos cigars in India can grant on behalf of Habanos S.A. These are Habanos Point, Habanos Specialist, Habanos Lounge and Habanos Terrace.
Please click here for more information on our boutiques and authorized points of sale.
2. Price – The quality of a genuine Habano cigar accounts for its price. Additionally, the import duties on cigars in India are high. Hence, if the price seems very low, then it is probably a counterfeit.
3. Detail – Counterfeiters often make errors in the details of the products. Mistakes in the logo or band of the cigar are often indication of counterfeits.
For any questions, or to report a counterfeit, please contact our anti-counterfeit team at habanoscigars@cingari.in
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