Customs seize 1,420 cartons of cigarettes

By Prabath Withana

A stock of illegal cigarettes worth Rs. 17 million in 12 boxes with ready-made garments was seized by the Customs recently.

Customs Additional Director General Sunil Jayaratne said that the stock was consigned to an address of a non-existing company in Avissawella.

He said that the customs officials had initiated investigations as nobody had arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport to claim the goods.

“A team of customs officers visited the address and found a house at the location. Its inmates were unaware of such an import,” he said.

He said that 284,000 sticks had been detected in 1,420 cartons imported from Dubai.