Smuggled Cigarettes Seized in Major Chennai Bust

In a landmark seizure, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) announced on Tuesday the confiscation of more than 92 lakh cigarettes of foreign make in Chennai. Valued at Rs 18.2 crore, these contraband items were clandestinely imported from Dubai, disguised as bathroom and sanitary fittings.

The DRI Chennai Zonal Unit acted swiftly on a tip-off, detaining a suspicious container destined for a facility in the Free Trade and Warehousing Zone in Sriperumbudur on June 23. Upon thorough inspection, the officials uncovered a massive hoard of mislabeled goods, revealing 92.1 lakh sticks of multiple foreign brands.

Without adhering to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, specifically omitting statutory health warnings, these products have breached packaging and labeling norms. The officials seized the contraband under the Customs Act, 1962, with investigations ongoing. This incident adds to the previous year's seizure of 4.4 crore sticks, bringing the total value of confiscated cigarettes to Rs 79.67 crore.

(With inputs from agencies.)