Customs seize over three million undeclared cigarettes

The Customs Department seized over three million undeclared cigarettes at the Freeport over the past two days.

The cigarettes were detected after strong indications that the content of a few containers being transported from the Far East to North Africa did not match what had been declared in the bills of lading.

The Customs' vehicle and container inspection unit - a device used to scan closed containers - revealed that the cargo consisted of a consignment of cigarettes and not 635 boxes of vacuum cleaners, as listed in the paperwork.

After a physical inspection of all the boxes, Customs officials discovered 331 boxes each containing 10,000 cigarettes of the Classic brand. All the boxes were unmarked and there were only 80 vacuum cleaners in all. Laboratory tests showed the cigarettes were not counterfeit.

A Customs spokesman said that had the cigarettes made it to the market, about Lm250,000 in excise and VAT would have been lost.

The Customs periodically seizes undeclared or counterfeit cigarettes. Earlier this year, 13.7 million counterfeit cigarettes found hidden under toilet rolls in two containers were seized at the Freeport. They also hailed from the Far East and were destined for North Africa.

Another major haul was netted in March when three million counterfeit cigarettes were seized.