The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ahmedabad, seized foreign brand cigarettes worth Rs, 33 crore from Mundra port. The packet was hidden under a consignment of ready-made garments. A total of 1,150 cartons of three foreign-brand cigarettes were seized under provisions of the Customs Act.
During the inspection of the container, 772 cartons of Manchester brand cigarettes were found along with about 77,20,000 sticks. Also, 328 cartons of Mac Ice brand cigarettes containing about 32,80,000 sticks and 50 cartons of Royal Red variant of Manchester brand cigarettes containing about 5 lakh sticks were found.
This is the fifth major seizure of cigarettes or e-cigarettes by the DRI Ahmedabad in the financial year. In April 2022, foreign-brand cigarettes valued at Rs 17 crores were seized. Two seizures of e-cigarettes valued at Rs 68 crore were done in September 2022. Earlier this month, a container of foreign-brand cigarettes worth Rs. 17 crores was seized. The total value of the seizures has exceeded Rs 135 crore.
The DRI has initiated a further investigation into the matter.
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