Ministry of Finance
DRI seizes smuggled foreign origin cigarettes in Mizoram worth Rs. 14.74 crore; three people arrested
Posted On:
24 NOV 2025 7:15PM by PIB Delhi
Cracking down on the smuggling of foreign origin cigarettes in the North Eastern Region, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted coordinated operations codenamed “OPERATION FILTER OUT” on 21st and 22nd November, 2025 in Mizoram. The operations were assisted by the Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force.
In the first case, a suspect vehicle was intercepted in the early hours of 21.11.2025 at Kanhmun, Mamit District, Mizoram. 165 cartons of foreign origin cigarettes (16,50,000 sticks) of brands Oris, Win and Benson & Hedges were recovered from the vehicle. In follow-up operation, a residential premises used as godown in Kanhmun was searched and 110 cartons (11,00,000 sticks) of brands Oris and Benson & Hedges Blue Gold recovered. Subsequently, 87 cartons (8,70,000 sticks) of brands Paris Special Filter, XSO Black Fruits and Benson & Hedges Blue Gold were recovered from another godown also in Kanhmun. Thus, 36.20 lakh sticks of foreign origin cigarettes were recovered and two people were arrested.
In the second case, two godowns and a residential premises located in Chandmari area of Lunglei, Mizoram were searched on 22.11.2025 and 375 cartons of foreign cigarettes (37,50,000 sticks) of brands Oris, Win, V, Far Star, Esse Light, Patron, Mond & Valiant recovered and one person was arrested.
In total, 73,70,000 sticks of foreign origin cigarettes, having market value of Rs. 14.74 crore, were seized in these operations. The recovered cigarette packets do not carry the mandatory pictorial and health warnings as required under the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.
Preliminary investigation reveals that these foreign origin cigarettes were smuggled into Mizoram from Myanmar through the Zokhawthar sector of the Indo-Myanmar border. The recovered cigarettes and the vehicle have been seized under the Customs Act, 1962, and three people arrested.
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NB/KMN
(Release ID: 2193725)
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