British American Tobacco could make more acquisitions in Indonesia after its purchase of a majority stake in the country’s fourth-largest cigarette maker for $494m.

The group, maker of Dunhill and Lucky Strike cigarettes, said its 85 per cent stake in Bentoel Internasional Investama would give it a foothold in Indonesia’s lucrative kretek – or clove-flavoured cigarette – market, which accounts for 93 per cent of the country’s tobacco sales.