Container of cigarettes seized in Ctg

Chattogram Custom House and Customs Intelligence seized a container of cigarettes on Thursday midnight, which was imported under false declaration.

The container was imported from Thailand, declaring it as water purifiers from Thailand, said Md Saifur Rahman, joint director of Customs Intelligence Department, Chattogram office.

He told The Daily Star the amount of the seized cigarettes of Mond brand is approximately 50 lakh, worth Tk 5 crore.

"The actual amount will be determined after the completion of inventory," he said.

The tax rate hovers 25 percent for water purification machine, which can go as high as 600-650 percent in case of cigarettes, customs officials said.

Customs sources said Dhaka-based trader Hamco Corporetion Limited declared 12.5 tonnes of the goods which arrived at Chittagong port on Thursday morning.

Based on a tip-off, custom officials conducted a joint drive and found cigarettes in the containers.

Bangladesh prohibits the import of foreign-made cigarettes that do not have anti-smoking warnings in Bangla on the packets, officials said.

According to the rules, if the quality of the cigarettes is found to be perfect, the consignment would be sold to Bangladesh Tourism Corporation. Otherwise, it will be destroyed according to the law.