CHENNAI:
Foreign origin Cigarettes worth Rs. 4.23 Crore, which were smuggled in three containers from Dubai, were seized at a Container Freight Station here and four persons were arrested in this regard by sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
Working on a tip-off that foreign origin Cigarettes are being smuggled by a syndicate in an import consignment of “Calcium Carbonate”, DRI sleuths intercepted that consignment imported in three 20 feet containers after it was transshipped to Container freight station from Kattupalli Port.
On examination of the consignment on Thursday, the DRI officials found carton boxes concealed inside the declared “Calcium Carbonate” bags which contained “Gudang Garam” cigarettes of Indonesian origin. A total of 30.24 Lakh sticks of cigarettes were found upon inventorization.
The market value of the seized cigarettes is about Rs. 4.23 Cr., and these cigarettes do not bear statutory health and pictorial warnings mandated under Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008 as amended effective from September 1, 2018.
The cigarettes, 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 are arrested.
Cigarettes fall under Section 123 of the Customs Act, 1962 by which burden is cast upon the persons who are in possession of cigarettes to prove that those cigarettes are not smuggled in to India.
Earlier in January 2018, about 70.56 Lakh sticks of same brand of cigarettes were seized at Chennai Port by Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) of the Chennai Sea Port Customs Commissionerate.
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