DHAKA: A man has been detained for illegally importing cigarettes worth an estimated Tk1.5 million including tax, at the Shahjalal International Airport.
Muhammad Belal, flying in from Dubai on a Kuwait Airways flight on early Saturday, had brought 51,000 cigarettes, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) said.
“We found 255 cartons of cigarettes on him,” Customs Intelligence Director General (DG) Moinul Khan said.
The seized cigarettes included 200 cartons Mond, 41 cartons of 303 and 14 cartons of Benson & Hedges. Bangladesh prohibits importing foreign-made cigarettes that do not have anti-smoking warning written in Bangla on the packets.
CIID officials said the seized cigarette packets did not have warning written in Bangla. They said they suspected the man had smuggled the products to evade high tariff (nearly 450%) on cigarette.
