800 cartons of cigarettes found abandoned at Chattogram Shah Amanat Airport

A large consignment of 800 cartons of cigarettes has been recovered from 6 pieces of luggage abandoned at the Lost and Found corner of the Customs Arrival Hall of Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport.

These cigarettes were recovered at 11 am on Saturday (December 6). Shah Amanat International Airport Public Relations Officer Engineer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil confirmed the matter.

He said that the airport's customs branch seized 800 cartons of cigarettes as abandoned goods as no ownership was found for the mentioned luggage. Revenue of Tk 9 million will be collected from the seized goods.

According to customs sources, there are two ways to import foreign cigarettes; through general import and bonded warehouse. If you want to bring cigarettes through general import, you have to pay high duty and tax. A certain amount can be imported through bonded warehouses under duty-free facilities.

Legally, 602 percent duty and tax have to be paid for importing cigarettes. But there is no precedent of importing cigarettes through ports by paying this duty and tax. However, bonded warehouses are importing a small amount of cigarettes under duty-free facilities.

There has been an increase in the trend of illegally importing cigarettes like South Korean Easy and Mond brands by making false declarations at the airport.