Last updated: February 10, 2020

Penalties

Sanctions

Sales Restrictions

Fine, Business License suspension or revocation, Jail
Analysis

Violations of the sales restrictions are punishable by a prison term of six months and a fine of three million Djibouti Francs on any person or entity violating the law. In the case of repeat offenses, the sentence and fine may be doubled, and the offender shall be prohibited from engaging in the importation, transit, trade, or any other commercial activity involving tobacco products for five years.

Juridical persons are fully or partly jointly liable for the payment of the fines and court costs assessed to their directors or employees.

Location-based Sales Restrictions

N/A
Analysis

Tobacco sales are not restricted by location; therefore, there are no associated penalties.

Minimum Retail Package Size

Fine, Business License suspension or revocation, Jail, Other

(e.g., seizure of the product, publication of the violation/violator)

Analysis

Violations of the minimum retail package size are punishable by six months of imprisonment and a fine of three million Djibouti Francs on any person or entity violating the law. In addition, the competent public institutions are permitted to seize any non-compliant products. Similarly, the Ministry of Health may order a manufacturer to remove all non-compliant products from the market at the manufacturer’s expense.

In the case of repeat offenses, the sentence and fine may be doubled, and the court shall prohibit the offender for five years from engaging in the importation, transit, trade, or any other commercial activity involving tobacco, tobacco products or derivatives, and accessories.

Minimum Legal Sales Age

Fine, Business License suspension or revocation, Jail
Analysis

Violations of the ban on sales to persons below the age of 16 are punishable by a prison term of six months and a fine of three million Djibouti Francs on any person who violates the law. In the case of repeat offenses, the sentence and fine may be doubled, and the offender shall be prohibited from engaging in the importation, transit, trade, or any other commercial activity involving tobacco products for five years.

Juridical persons are fully or partly jointly liable for the payment of the fines and court costs assessed to their directors or employees.