About 1.3 thousand tons of cigarettes, worth $9.6 million, have been imported in the months of Azar (November 21-December21), accounting for 0.23 percent of the country’s total import in this period. According to the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI)’s latest report, the volume of the imported cigarettes over the same period last year stood at 0.7 thousand tons, and the value was $6.3 million. The figures show the import volume registered 80 percent rise and its value showed 52 percent hike in Azar, ISNA reported on Sunday. Import of cigarettes during the nine months ending in Azar was 10.1 thousand tons, and the value was $78.6 million, which illustrates a 26 percent growth in value, compared to the same period last year. Cigarette is among the goods that has widely been imported illegally during the past years due to the ban on legal import of the product. Some officials believe that issuing import permits for cigarette will definitely curtail its smuggling.
