The value of ‘suitcase trade’ – purchasing consumer goods where prices are low and later selling them elsewhere for profit – in the first eight months of the current year (March 21-Novemebr 21) stood at $51.24 million, which shows a 32 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. ISNA reported on Saturday citing Iran’s Customs Administration that hundreds of thousands of various types of goods have been traded over the period. Astara Customs with $15.29 million in suitcase trade value ranked first, accounting for 29.84 percent of the trade in the eight month period, while Bilesavar Customs with $7.23 million or 14.11 percent and Sarv Customs with $6.31 million or 11.77 percent stood in the second and third place respectively. Meanwhile, Anzali Port Customs registered an 88.13 percent decrease in suitcase trade, Bajgiran Customs 85.45 percent, Poldasht 82.26 percent, Sarakhs Customs 17.85 percent, and Inche Boroun Customs 10.16 percent.
