Guwahati: Foreign-origin cigarettes worth 99.68 lakhs were confiscated via couriers

During two separate operations on Tuesday in Guwahati, the Customs department confiscated 4,93,400 sticks of foreign cigarettes valued at 98.68 lakh rupees.

A consignment of cigarettes of foreign origin had been booked at Blue Dart Express Ltd., which is situated close to the intersection of Zoo Road and Ambikagiri Nagar, according to specific intelligence regarding the transportation of smuggled cigarettes of foreign origin through couriers that were received by the Customs department in Guwahati on Tuesday.

"A customs team immediately proceeded to the said location and identified the specific consignment containing the cigarette packages as per the AWB number received. A total of 5 packages had been booked under the said AWB and on checking the contents of each package, the customs officers detected cigarettes of foreign origin viz., WIN and ESSE LIGHT brands of Chinese and Korean origin. A total of 1,48,000 sticks of foreign origin cigarette valued at ₹ 29,60,000 was recovered and seized in the instant case," according to a senior customs official.

He added that all of the shipments' contents had been listed as "Damaged Fabric Garments."

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"Further, immediately after the detection of the first case, fresh information was received that a vehicle containing a huge consignment of smuggled foreign cigarettes was approaching the immediate area of Blue Dart Express Ltd., located near the junction of Zoo Road and Ambikagiri Nagar and the consignment of cigarettes was meant to be unloaded at Blue Dart Express Ltd. As soon as the said vehicle which was coming from the Ganeshguri side took a U-turn at the above junction, the customs team intercepted the vehicle and on a preliminary search of the packages loaded on the said vehicle detected cigarettes of foreign origin viz., ESSE LIGHT SUPER SLIM, Made in Korea. While one person managed to flee away in the ensuing melee, one person was apprehended," the official stated.

 He added that after careful examination of the eight parcels, including one large steel trunk, 3,45,400 sticks of cigarettes from the aforementioned brand worth 69,08,000 were found.

The Customs official stated, "Overall, Guwahati Customs has confiscated 4,93,400 sticks of foreign cigarettes valued at Rs. 98,68,000 on Tuesday through two consecutive cases."

In addition to today's seizure, Guwahati customs has recently found 45,54,627 cigarettes in 29 distinct cases, with a total value of 7,35,56,680.

(With inputs from ANI)