Container-load of illegal fags worth Rs.20 Mn seized

A shipment of illegal cigarettes worth some Rs.20 million was seized yesterday by Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) personnel near the Wimaladharma Clock Tower in Colombo while the contraband was being transported in a container lorry, Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

He said the cigarettes had been imported from Dubai under the guise of spare parts. The container carrying 400,000 sticks of cigarettes was stopped after it was released by customs.

SP Gunasekera said the lorry driver was arrested and investigations were underway to arrest the main suspect who was a businessman from Wattala.

The detection was carried out on the orders of DIG Sajeewa Medawatta and under the direction of PND Director SSP Thilak Dhanapala.

Nov. 19, 2018: A man and a woman were apprehended by the officials of the Customs Narcotic Control Division at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) while attempting to smuggle in foreign cigarettes

Jan. 04, 2019: A Sri Lankan who attempted to smuggle illicit cigarettes worth over Rs.1.6 mn into the country from Dubai was arrested by the Customs at the (BIA)

Jan. 07, 2019: An academic research had revealed that the illicit cigarette trade in Sri Lanka has incurred a staggering loss of Rs.18 bn to the government as tax revenue every year.