Baku, Azerbaijan, April 12
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
The Governor of Iran Customs Administration (ICA) Masoud Karbasian has said that goods worth at $6.5 billion are annually smuggled into the country. At a meeting with the members of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Masoud Karbasian said that smugglers do not use official routs for smuggling goods, IRNA news agency reported. According to Karbasian, Iran Customs Administration seized over 300 tons of drugs in the last Iranian calendar year (ended March 20).
In turn, the head of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Masoud Khansari confirmed that the smuggled goods into Iran amount to $6.5. He further dismissed the reports suggesting that the smuggled goods into the country worth $20 billion.
He said for realizing the figure of $20 billion in a year, everyday 1,300 lorries packed with goods should cross through border crossings. Smuggling of commodities into the country increased since 2007. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the total value of smuggling increased from $5 billion in 2007 to $25 billion later on.
Iranian authorities have previously said that fuel, currency, household accessories, clothing and mobile phones are most of all smuggled into Iran.
Iran's customs administration has been under attack by some officials as well as the businessmen on the issue for imposing high tariffs. This is while some government organizations have been accused of being involved in smuggling.