High customs tariffs, lax controls on distribution processes and banking sanctions are among the main causes of smuggling, says a member of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Mohammad Reza Bahraman. “Moreover, high demand for contraband goods, on the consumers’ side, also encourages smugglers,” ISNA quoted Bahraman as saying. One solution to combat smuggling, put forward by the official, is to mechanize customs affairs to regulate exports and imports. Inward and outward illegal trade is estimated at $25-30 billion annually, according to Financial Tribune’s sister daily Donya-e-Eqtesad.
