Rs. 50 m worth contraband cigarettes detected

Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: A massive haul of cigarettes worth Rs. 50 million, smuggled under the BOI tag to bypass customs barriers was seized by preventive officers, while being unloaded at a warehouse at Dematagoda, recently.

The cigarettes brand marked 'Gold Leaf' and shipped from China were released minus customs checks due to its BOI label. The importer which was a BOI company in Badalgama has declared the 'goods' to be Polyester yarn.

"We seized the cigarettes while it was being unloaded at the warehouse. Three suspects were arrested at the site and the house used as the makeshift warehouse is now sealed," Customs Preventive sources told the Daily News. The contraband in a 40ft container contained 4.6 million cigarettes.

"The BOI goods are randomly checked by the BOI officials. Therefore, we think the smuggler must have exploited this label, knowing this practice," he said adding that they were at the moment trying to verify if this company is the real owner of this consignment.

Sources said the landlord of the house is missing and several others who were present there at the time of the raid managed to flee. Dematagoda Police has assisted in the raid, following a tip-off from an outsider.

The Ceylon Tobacco Company has verified the fags were not their make. Assistant Customs Superintendent G.B. Gnanaraj conducted the raid and the investigations are being led by Assistant Director K. A. Dharmadasa.