A 20-foot container full of counterfeit imported cigarettes Valued at Rs.130 million had been seized by the Customs Central Investigation Bureau officials today, Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said.


The seized illegally imported cigarette container was opened at the Orugodawatta container yard and had arrived from Jabel Ali Port of Dubai on December 9.


“On the examination the Customs officials found 20,000 cigarette cartons containing 4.4 million sticks of ‘Top Mountain’ brand cigarettes,” Mr. Gamini said.


This consignment was declared as washing powder to a non-existing name of a registered BOI company at Giriulla.


Meanwhile, the of the Customs Central Investigations Director K.A. Darmasena said, the cigarettes were made in a foreign country  and with this illegal import the haul evaded Rs.247 million payment of duty and other levies.


 Investigations are underway to arrest the suspects who were involved in the racket, Mr. Darmasena said.


 The consignment was to be hand over to Ceylon Tobacco Company to be sent to Holcim for destruction, he added. (Chaturanga Pradeep)