During the first quarter of 2018, smuggling of cigarettes has fallen to its lowest levels since 2007, according to a survey of cigarette packs from the anti-illicit trade initiative, which brings together five cigarette companies. At the moment its share is 5.8%, while in the last quarter of 2017 it was 6.6%.

The survey states that there are still cities where levels of illegal trade are three to four times higher than for the whole country. In the first quarter of 2018 these were Asenovgrad, Pernik, Blagoevgrad, and Montana and Pleven.