Customs destroy Rs. 748 million worth counterfeit cigarettes

Stock of counterfeit cigarettes worth Rs 748 million was destroyed using the crushing machine at the Ceylon Tobacco Company premises.

A stock of counterfeit cigarettes worth Rs.748 million was destroyed using the crushing machine at the Ceylon Tobacco Company premises under the supervision of Customs officials led by Customs Director General Sarath Nonis and CTC officials including Legal and External Affairs Director of British American Tobacco (BAT) Zahrah Cader.

Customs officials said that this stock contained over 9.9 million sticks and the government would have lost a revenue of Rs. 696 million, if these sticks were allowed in the market.

This stock of illegal cigarettes was detected by the Customs during a raid conducted on a tip off in June last year. Customs officials said that this container arrived from Dubai had been imported using a fake name and address.

Customs officials said that attempts were made to get the container released to a company in Ragama by changing the Bill of Lading through a shipping agent. Customs’ investigations are continuing into the parties involved in importing this container, Customs officials said.

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