Navi Mumbai: Customs Seize ₹11.40 Crore Cigarettes From Dubai Hidden In Gypsum Plaster Board Shipment

Mumbai: The Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) (I) at Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House (JNCH), Nhava Sheva, Navi Mumbai, has successfully intercepted and seized approximately 57,02,400 sticks of Foreign Origin Cigarettes worth Rs 11.40 crore imported from Dubai. The consignment, consisting of 40-footer container, was falsely declared as “Gipsam Plaster Board” and destined to ICD Sanathnagar, Hyderabad, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the Customs sources, upon a thorough check of the 18 pallets inside a 40-foot container, the customs officers discovered that around 400 cartons containing 57,02,2400 sticks foreign-origin cigarettes were concealed in the disguise of Gypsum Plaster Board.

"The modus operandi for smuggling cigarettes in gypsum plaster board involves concealing the contraband within specially crafted cavities inside the plaster board pallets. In this particular case, the foreign-origin cigarettes were hidden within the gypsum plaster board pallets in a 40-foot container. The smuggling technique involved creating concealed compartments or cavities inside the plaster boards, where the cigarette cartons were tightly packed. The shipment was falsely declared as a consignment of gypsum plaster boards, destined for a legitimate location. The concealment was so precise that only a detailed examination could uncover the hidden cigarettes," said an official.

"By using everyday construction materials as a cover, the smugglers attempted to avoid detection, exploiting the high volume and weight of legitimate shipments of similar goods, which would typically attract less scrutiny," the official said.