Head of the Association of Iranian Confectionery Manufacturing Companies, Jamshid Maghazeie warned against irregular import of chewing gum, adding that chewing gum worth about 15 trillion rials ($450 million based on market exchange rate) is smuggled into the country annually, ISNA reported on Wednesday. “Since the chewing gums are imported illegally, their quality is questionable,” said the official. According to a report released by Iran’s Customs Administration, about 400 tons of sugar-free chewing gum, worth more than $849,000, was imported within the nine months of the past Iranian year (ended March 20), mainly from Poland (75 percent) Turkey (21 percent), and the United Arab Emirates (4 percent).
