Maldives Customs Service data show that 48,881,100 cigarettes were imported between January and July 2026, following a sharp decline in cigarette imports after the government raised import duties. Imports fell from more than 338 million cigarettes annually to 76.2 million between 2021 and 2025, when more than MVR 1 billion ($65 million) in duties was collected. The import duty was increased to MVR 8 ($0.52) per cigarette in November 2024 as part of efforts to encourage tobacco cessation, but the government subsequently reversed the increase, reducing the duty to MVR 4 ($0.26) from July 2026.
