About 75,000 tins of snuff (Dunkudu) had been seized from a Customs warehouse in Peliyagoda, Customs Spokesperson Leslie Gamini said.

Each tin contained 10 grammes, he said.

“The contraband worth Rs. 2,638,440 was weighing 750 kilograms and contained in 30 cartons,” he said.

The contraband had been confiscated, Mr. Gamini said.

The consignment had been imported by a company in Colombo 13 from Madurai, India on August 24, he said.

He said that the consignment had been declared as Sambrani (Benzoin Resin). The cartons were covered with quality Indian Sambrani slabs to mask the smell of snuff.

The snuff is restricted to import without permit and license certification from the Dangerous Drug Control Board under the Tobacco Tax Act
“The suspect company did not have any,” he said.

The Dangerous Drug Control Board confirmed that the snuff contained nicotine.  

Investigations are being carried out by the Director T. Nandasiri, DDC Athula Lankadewa, Superintendent Sudatta Silva, DSC Tharaka Mahaulpotha, Thilak Pragnarathne, A.K. Kelum Thusara, V.N. Thilekerathne and R.L. Wijerathne.

Meanwhile, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said the contraband was imported aiming the student population in the country. (Chaturanga Pradeep)

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Pix by Kushan Pathiraja