Howard Pugh

Howard Pugh is a highly experienced anti-illicit trade consultant with more than 30 years’ experience in criminal investigation, intelligence analysis, and international law-enforcement cooperation. He previously served as a criminal investigator and Fiscal Crime Liaison Officer with HM Revenue & Customs, targeting serious organised crime groups.

He went on to become Head of Europol’s Excise Fraud Team (Analytical Project Smoke), where he coordinated major cross-border operations against organised crime groups involved in cigarette smuggling and counterfeiting. He also established and led Europol’s first Operational Task Force targeting illicit tobacco, achieving significant arrests, seizures, and the dismantling of multiple organised crime groups. In addition, he spent ten years as EMPACT Support Manager for Excise Fraud, helping to shape EU-wide strategy and translate it into operational results.

Since leaving Europol, Howard has worked as an independent consultant, advising governments, international organisations, and private sector clients on anti-illicit trade policy, strategy, and operational best practice. He is a registered trainer with UNODC and CEPOL and is widely recognised for his practical, solutions-focused approach, particularly in the context of the illicit tobacco trade.