DRI seizes foreign-make cigarettes, cosmetics from AP port

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized foreign-make cigarettes and various cosmetics items, collectively worth Rs 6.36 crore, from two separate containers at Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh when they were allegedly being smuggled into country.
Two persons were arrested in this connection.
According to police, the operation was conducted at the port on January 9 and 10 by the sleuths of the DRI (Hyderabad Zonal Unit).
"Acting on a specific intelligence input, the officers seized a huge quantity of cigarettes of foreign origin, which were attempted to be smuggled into the country in the guise of 'Honeymoon Comfort Bed Spread', and cosmetics, attempted to be smuggled in the guise of 'Paper Napkin Toiletries'," Additional Director General M K Singh stated in a release.

In the operation, a total of 40,34,O00 sticks of the filter cigarettes of different brands and flavours, valued at about Rs 4.51 crore, were seized from a container.
The sleuths also found and recovered a total of 1,04,730 pieces of various varieties and brands of cosmetics, valued at about Rs 1.85 crore, from another container.

Both the containers had arrived at the port from UAE and Singapore, the release added.
The officers also seized the bed sets and paper napkins used for concealing the contraband goods, Singh said.
Two persons involved in the import of these goods were arrested and produced before the court of a special judge for economic offences here today, the senior DRI official said, adding that they were remanded in judicial custody.

The DRI had on December 29 seized a container from the same port containing a huge haul of cigarettes, valued at Rs 8.92 crore.
Further investigation in the case is on, he added.