Vijayawada: Off late Vijayawada has turned into a major transit hub for cigarettes from foreign lands that make its way to Andhra Pradesh without paying any import duty and other taxes.
In the last six months, the sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Vijayawada confiscated cigarette sticks in lakhs that had its origin in Myanmar and Indonesia. These cigarettes are bought by local traders who distribute it in various parts of the state.
Local traders are so much involved in the trade that they are supplying packing material and other stuff, giving more dimensions to cigarette manufacturers in Myanmar.
In a confiscation, the DRI local sleuths intercepted a truck that was carrying 8 tonnes of cigarettes with around 40 lakh cigarette sticks that were manufactured in Myanmar with the brand name ‘Paris’ and in another instance, they confiscated 3 lakh cigarette sticks that were manufactured in Indonesia.
These Indonesian cigarettes are made with tobacco and clove which gives a best ‘kick’ to smokers.
While the Myanmar cigarettes are a hit among lower income groups due to its cheap cost, Indonesian cigarettes are sold at Rs 20 per stick.
“We found that Vijayawada has become a major transit point of these foreign manufactured cigarettes that are brought in without paying any import and Customs duties. From Vijayawada, these cigarettes are being taken to other districts in the state and also to other local markets. Since the traders do not pay any import duty, these cigarette sticks are sold at a cheaper rate.
“Myanmar cigarettes are sold as cheap as Rs 2 and so they become a huge hit among the masses. Cashing on this demand, local traders have started importing cigarettes at a high rate,” a senior DRI official told the DC.
Notably, trucks carrying these cigarettes have reached all the way to Vijayawada, hoodwinking Customs staff at the International borders and other check posts in the country.
