Kyrgyzstan Mulls Temporary Market Closure

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce has proposed a ban on the import, transit or reexport of cigarettes for six months, reports Trend News Agency.

With the measure, the ministry aims to protect Kyrgyz citizens against counterfeit and uncertified cigarettes, which evade quality standards. It also seeks to strengthen efforts against cigarette smuggling and ensure that tax revenue projections for the state budget are met.

According to the tax service, authorities confiscated 65,231 duty-avoiding packs of cigarettes in 2023. Illicit products claimed 17.7 percent of the Kyrgyz cigarette market that year.

Many of the counterfeit products uncovered were manufactured in Serbia and the United Arab Emirates.