Chattogram Customs House has seized a large quantity of foreign brand cigarettes in consignments arriving at Chattogram port with duty free (bond) facility. Customs officials have thwarted an attempt to evade Tk 14.5 crore in the consignment.
According to Customs House sources, Versatile Limited, an importer from Raj Phulbaria area of Savar near Dhaka, imported 2,41,500 pieces of plastic hangers in a container from China, announcing clothing accessories.
The container (GVCU 2210575) with MV Alion ship from Shanghai port of China was unloaded at Chattogram port on May 28.
The audit, investigation and research (AIR) team of Chattogram Customs House searched the covered van of the consignment on the basis of secret information while trying to unload it from the NCT yard of Chattogram port on Thursday.
At that time, the customs officials saw two more inner cartons inside the Turag Garments and Hosiery (BIN: 000122276-0103) printed on Gazipur with a removable sticker on the carton of the product.
Cigarettes of various foreign brands were found hidden inside. The issue was immediately reported to the higher authorities and a cover van (Dhaka Metro-THA-22-6531) loaded with imported cigarettes was seized inside the port.
In the presence of the concerned C&F agent JT Sarkar Md. Zakir Hossain, JT Sarkar Assistant Md. Neshar Uddin, Port Security Officer and members and representatives of other agencies, the AIR officer conducted a physical inspection of the consignment. At this time, after taking out all the products from the covered van, it was seen that each of the 300 cartons contained two inner cartons of cigarettes.
Among the 3 foreign bands, 20 lakh sticks of Esse, 20 lakh sticks of Mond and 20 lakh sticks of Oris with a total of 60 lakh sticks of cigarettes were seized. Its total net weight is 3 thousand kg and estimated market value is 4.5 crore. Attempts were made to evade government revenue of about Tk 14.5 crore by importing conditionally imported cigarettes.
Rezaul Karim, Assistant Commissioner (AIR) of Customs House, said the commissioner of Chattogram Customs House has instructed the concerned to take strict and exemplary action by quickly identifying the culprits in the incident.
Earlier, several consignments of cigarettes imported through false declarations were seized inside the port under the strict supervision and firm efforts of the Chattogram Customs Authority.
