Chittagong Custom House has seized cigarettes worth 5 crores and 3 lac imported under false declaration. These cigarettes were imported under the announcement of fresh apples. The consignment that was announced as a consignment of Marhaba Fresh Fruits of Chattogram, reached Chittagong port in the middle of this month. After receiving confidential information, a customs team examined the consignment on Thursday (23 December) and found 22 lacs and 19 thousand cigarettes, 15 tonnes of apples, and 2 tonnes of GP sheets.
Officials said the tax rate on the declared goods was 89%. But in the case of cigarettes, the rate can be 120 to 600%. The customs house authorities said that legal action would be taken against the importer subject to investigation.
The import of such cigarettes is prohibited in Bangladesh unless there is an anti-smoking warning in Bengali on the packet.
