Tobacco.org

Smuggled cigarettes make Georgia blue in the face 

Smuggling remains a serious obstacle for the sustainability and development of the Georgian economy. The problem can be traced to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Despite measures taken by the administration since the Rose Revolution, cigarette smuggling is remains a thorn in its side. Though the cigarette smuggling centre is South Ossetia, some cigarettes are still smuggled into Zugdidi across the Enguri River from breakaway Abkhazia.

Analysts calculate that the state should be collecting GEL 292 million in taxes from cigarette purchases-GEL 213 million from imported cigarettes and GEL 79 million from domestic cigarettes.

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