CGST commissionerate seizes Rs 50 lakh worth of cigarettes
CGST Guntur commissioner, Sadhu Narasimha Reddy, stated that officials intercepted the vehicle at Nudurupadu Village, Pirangapuram Mandal, Guntur district, suspecting that the quantity and value of the goods were being deliberately understated
VIJAYAWADA: Vigilant officers of the Anti-Evasion team from Guntur CGST Commissionerate have seized cigarettes worth ₹50 lakh that were being transported under the guise of matchboxes to evade taxes. CGST Guntur commissioner, Sadhu Narasimha Reddy, stated that officials intercepted the vehicle at Nudurupadu Village, Pirangapuram Mandal, Guntur district, suspecting that the quantity and value of the goods were being deliberately understated. He added that swift action was taken by escorting the vehicle for a thorough inspection.
Upon meticulous examination, officers discovered the vehicle was transporting 46 poly bags containing 11.04 lakh cigarette sticks of the brands GTPL Step and Gold Vimal. These were falsely declared as safety matches in the invoice, which was valued at Rs 2.77 lakh. The driver was unable to produce the necessary documentation or proof of payment of the applicable government duties.
Commissioner Narasimha Reddy highlighted that the seized cigarette packages lacked essential markings, such as manufacturer details, production dates, and expiry dates, raising suspicions about the legality of the transport. As a result, the entire consignment was confiscated. The investigation is ongoing. Reddy also noted that the Commissionerate has seized cigarettes worth Rs 3.17 crore over the past five months.