EghtesadOnline: About 2.8 billion cigarettes were smuggled into Iran during the five months since the beginning of the current Iranian year (started March 21), registering a 47% decline compared with last year’s corresponding period, the head of Tobacco Planning and Supervision Center, Ali Asghar Ramzi, said.

EghtesadOnline: Cigarette consumption in Iran stands at 55 billion a year, of which 6 billion with an estimated value of 30 trillion rials ($800 million) are smuggled into the country, the head of Tobacco Planning and Supervision Center said.

EghtesadOnline: The first quarter of the current fiscal year (March 21-June 2) saw cigarette production rise by 60%, imports fall by 75% and smuggling decline by 48% compared to last year’s corresponding period, the head of Tobacco Planning and Supervision Center said.