Customs seize smuggled cigarettes worth Rs.124 mln in Colombo Port

Sri Lanka Customs Revenue Task Force (RTF) has seized a large consignment of illegally imported cigarettes during an inspection at a warehouse in the Colombo Port premises. 

The consignment has contained a total of 713,000 sticks of cigarettes in 3, 565 cartons, which were smuggled into the country in the disguised shipment. 

The contraband was discovered concealed inside of 05 pallets of hollowed-out polypropylene corrugated sheets of 5mm, which had been imported from United Arab Emirates to a company in Padukka, Sri Lanka Customs said.

The estimated value of cigarettes is Rs. 124,019,554, resulting in defraud of revenue to the state of Rs.107,985,621, according to Sri Lanka Customs.

Further investigations are being conducted by RTF officers.