Smuggled cigarettes worth Rs 4.23 crore seized

Based on a specific tipoff that cigarettes of foreign origin are being smuggled by a syndicate in an import consignment of ‘Calcium Carbonate’, DRI sleuths intercepted the consignment of three 20-feet containers, which were transported from Kattupalli Port to a container freight station on Thursday. On examination of the consignment, the officers found carton boxes concealed inside the declared goods which contained ‘Gudang Garam’ cigarettes of Indonesian origin. 

A total  of 30.24 lakh sticks of cigarettes were found.

The market value of the seized cigarettes is about Rs 4.23 crore and these cigarettes do not bear statutory health and pictorial warnings mandated under Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008. 

The cigarette sticks, calcium carbonate bags and the three containers were seized under provisions of Customs Act, 1962 and four persons, including the importer who permitted the syndicate to import through his firm, were arrested.

In January this year, about 70.56 lakh sticks of the same brand of cigarettes were seized at Chennai Port by Special Intelligence and Investigation  Branch of the Chennai Sea Port Customs Commissionerate.