Kyrgyzstan plans to ban cigarette imports

Kyrgyzstan plans to establish a temporary six-month ban on the import, transit or re-export of cigarettes. The corresponding draft decree of the Cabinet of Ministers is submitted for public discussion by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.

Thus, the project is designed to protect the health of Kyrgyz citizens from the consumption of counterfeit, uncertified cigarettes, as well as to strengthen the fight against smuggling of cigarettes and the implementation of projected indicators of tax revenues to the state budget

In 2023, the Tax Service of the republic seized 65,231 packs of cigarettes from illegal circulation.

In 2023, the share of illegal cigarettes amounted to 17.7%. All counterfeits under the brands Oris, Mondeo, Like and Madrid were products manufactured in third countries such as Serbia and UAE.