Cigarettes worth Tk 100 million seized at Chittagong Port

Customs officials have seized from a container a huge consignment of foreign-made cigarettes brought into Chittagong Port by giving false declaration.

The customs officials said the consignment was brought to Chittagong Port’s JR Yard concealed as cosmetics by a business establishment of Dhaka’s Rampura.

Assistant Commissioner Chittagong Customs Amimul Ihsan Khan said when the container, which came from Singapore, was opened on Wednesday 55,200 cartons of cigarettes were found.

The officials said the business group was trying to evade customs duty by smuggling in cigarettes worth around Tk 100 million with false declaration.

Ihsan Khan told bdnews24.com that S K Trade Corporation of Rampura brought such items declaring as cosmetics from Singapore.

The 40-feet long container docked at Chittagong Port on Dec 31 last year.

Local C&F agent Sohail Trading submitted bill of entry on Jan 7 for unloading the goods.

Ishan Khan said following a tip off, unloading of goods from the container was stopped.

After the physical verification of the container on Wednesday the huge quantity of cigarettes of three foreign brands was seized, he said.

Benson and Hedges, Esse and Pine were the three brands found in the container.