Study on the economic impacts of smuggling on the border towns Case Study; Marivan, Kurdistan

This study examines the effects of smuggling on the economics of Marivan,a border town, that is placed in the western frontier of Kurdistan province in Iran and is bordering the Iraq country. The Smuggling is a kind of customs frauds that includes the illegal transportation of goods across the customs border through the secret ways and to evade customs controls. Nowadays, the issue of free trade and attention to marketing and customer’s attraction is considered as one of the most influencing factors in the economic growth and development. However, this global activity is always at risk and exposing with serious damages. Because of geographical conditions for goods import and export, and lack of stability in the neighboring countries, the smuggling issue is so noteworthy in Iran. The purpose of this research is surveying the economic impacts of smuggling on the city of Marivan, In terms of income and employment. The methodology of this study is functional in purpose aspect and including descriptive – analytical method. The residents of Marivan city are the statistical population of this research and the number of samples was calculated by using 315 Cochran formulas. In this study, as the first step we collected library information of resources; then, data and information about the area of study were gathered. After that, preparing and completing of the questionnaire along with observation was accomplished among the residents of Marivan city. For drawing the maps, Arc GIS software was used. Finally the collected data were analyzed by using SPSS and Excel software and conclusions are presented. The results of this study indicate positive and high effects of smuggling on the employment and income of residents of Marivan and also on the other sectors of this area economy.