Turkey approves BAT $1.72 bln cigarette maker buy

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's Competition Board approved on Friday British American Tobacco's (BATS.L) purchase of Turkish state-owned cigarette firm Tekel.

BAT, the world's second largest cigarette group, won the auction for Tekel in February, with the highest bid of $1.72 billion in a deal increasing its market share fivefold.