Tourists can bring up to 200 cigarettes for personal use

Maldives has made changes to its guidelines on importation of tobacco products, allowing travelers on tourist visa to bring up to 200 cigarettes or one carton for personal use.

According to Maldives Customs Service, the revisions mean only travelers on tourist visa are permitted to import limited quantities of tobacco products for personal use.

As such, tourists aged 18 years and above arriving from abroad will be permitted to import either 200 cigarettes, or 25 cigars, or up to 250 grams of tobacco products for personal use.

The changes took effect on Saturday.

The agency said that quantities exceeding these limits will be retained by Customs for a maximum of 30 days. Tourists can collect the items from the Customs Counter at the departure terminal of Velana International Airport (VIA) prior to their departure from Maldives.

Additionally, any tobacco products brought by non-tourist travelers that do not meet the Health Ministry’s labelling requirements will be confiscated by Customs.

Two weeks back, the Parliament passed legislature submitted by the government to increase the specific rate of import duty on cigarettes and beedi from MVR 3 to MVR 8, and the ad valorem tax on the products by 50 percent. The legislature was ratified by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on October 31, and took effect the next day.

Tobacco importers and distributors have raised the prices of cigarettes following this change. The price of a pack of cigarettes has risen up to MVR 250, and the price of a cigarette carton to MVR 2,240.

The government projects the tax hikes on tobacco products will result in an additional MVR 1.05 billion in tax revenue next year.