Iran's Khatami vows to eradicate goods smuggling

Iranian President Mohammed Khatami has declared war on goods smuggling which is costing the country billion of dollars each year, the official IRNA news agency reported yesterday.

"Smuggling is not a marginal phenomena in our country; it is an organised movement led by mafia gangs," Khatami said in a meeting with industry and trade officials late on Sunday. "I declare that I am seriously after this until I root out the scourge of smuggling in the country, I will not relent until it is eradicated," he said, quoted by IRNA.

An estimated $4 billion worth of goods are smuggled into Iran each year - mainly cigarettes, household and electronic appliances and alcohol. Despite efforts to reinforce border posts, contraband goods continue to flow through the country's vast and porous frontiers.