Smuggled cigarettes from Myanmar confiscated in Vizag

Visakhapatnam The revenue and intelligence section of Customs House, Visakhapatnam have seized 3,89,000 numbers of cigarette sticks of "Paris Midland Black' brand valued at around Rs.38.90 lakh.

Based on intelligence that some foreign origin cigarettes have been booked under parcel from Khurda in Odisha to Visakhapatnam through Amravati Express (Train No. 18407) and Prashanti Express (Train No.18463), two teams from Visakhapatnam Customs House reached the railway station in the city. Enroute to the railway station, one team of officers intercepted two suspected auto-rickshaws loaded each with two boxes and

parked on the road connecting the Railway Parcel Office to Convent Junction and recovered 1,20,000 numbers of cigarette sticks of the Paris brand on Friday. On enquiry made by auto drivers as to why the vehicles with parcels loaded were parked on the road side, for which they stated that the person who hired had gone to the parcel section for some clearance.

Another auto proceeded towards Poorna Market. Another team of officers intercepted seven suspected boxes offloaded from Amaravati Express and two more suspected boxes near railway parcel office, Visakhapatnam and recovered 2,69 lakh numbers of cigarette sticks of Paris' & Midland Black' brand. On enquiry from railway parcel officials it was found that nobody has approached to claim the said consignment.

Based on markings on the packets, these cigarettes seem to have originated from Myanmar. The officer noticed that there is no pictorial warning and no information regarding date/year of manufacture and MRP on the packets. Accordingly, officers of revenue and intelligence section, Custom House, Visakhapatnam seized the total consignment on the reasonable belief that the goods were liable for confiscation under the law, a senior customs official said on Saturday.