New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized a container load of foreign brand cigarettes valued at Rs 17 crores from Gujarat’s Mundra Port on Tuesday.
''Specific intelligence developed by officers of DRI Ahmedabad suggested that a smuggling syndicate is attempting to smuggle foreign brand cigarettes to India through Mundra Sea port,” news agency ANI report quoted a senior DRI officer as saying.
Examination of the container led to recovery of 850 cartons of "Manchester" brand cigarettes.
Each carton was packed with about 10,000 cigarettes. Accordingly, a total of 85,50,000 foreign branded cigarette sticks worth Rs 17 crores were seized.
This is the fourth major seizure of cigarettes and e-Cigarettes by DRI Ahmedabad in this financial year. The total value of the seizures has exceeded Rs 100 crores.