CHENNAI: For years, as an Indonesian brand of cigarettes without pictorial warning flooded the city market, enforcement agencies wondered how there could be smoke without fire. They found the tip of an answer early this week when Directorate of Revenue Intelligence men seized Rs 7 crore worth of ‘Djarum Black’ cigarettes from north Chennai.
After preliminary investigation, the agency on Thursday said the consignment was smuggled into Chennai by sea after customs tightened vigil at the city airport that was the previous entry point.
Chennai and Trichy airports have been the transit points for this contraband, said a senior officer. Tuticorin port was also used by the smugglers. “When scanning is tightened at airports, the smugglers shifted to the sea route,” he said. Chennai airport was brought under closer surveillance after a section of Customs officials wrote to the chief commissioner of customs alleging pressure and threats from a prominent smuggler.
These cigarettes, which are not as strong as the regular ones, are preferred by women in Chennai, investigators quoting traders said. The illegal trade offered the racket 100% profit. The consignments were smuggled through Singapore and Dubai from Cambodia, investigating officials said. They evade customs duty, and also violate rules related to pictorial warnings on the cigarette box, as laid down by the health ministry.
DRI sleuths seized the consignment at the gateway container freight station at New Manali in north Chennai a few days ago. It belonged to an importer, Thivya Agencies, and was issued by BLPL of Singapore, DRI said in a press note. The cargo was declared as Malaysian core veneer, a type of plywood.
On inspection of the cargo, DRI officials found behind the plywood sheets 700 cartons, each containing 50 packets of cigarettes packed in a black plastic sheet. There was 70 lakh sticks of ‘Djarum Black’ cigarettes. DRI has filed a case under provisions of the Customs Act and also for violation of pictorial warning rules.
“Tamil Nadu is one of the most preferred destinations for cigarette smugglers. Every day, almost 20 carriers, who are paid Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 per trip, pass through the airports in the state with these cigarettes. The market is huge,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
