As part of its ongoing battle against illegal smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted a substantial operation on June 23, 2025, seizing 92.1 lakh sticks of cigarettes of foreign origin, valued at over Rs. 18.2 crore.
Chennai : In a significant operation on June 23, 2025, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) confiscated 92.1 lakh sticks of cigarettes of foreign origin, valued at almost Rs. 18.2 crore, as part of its ongoing campaign against illegal smuggling. The personnel of DRI, Chennai Zonal Unit, detained a container going to J-Matadee FTWZ in response to specific intelligence that cigarettes of foreign origin are being smuggled into India from Dubai under the pretense of “Bathroom and sanitary fittings.”
A thorough investigation showed that the contents of the aforementioned container were not what had been declared; instead, it contained 92.1 lakh sticks of cigarettes of foreign origin, including brands like “Mac Ice Superslims cool blast,” “Manchester United Kingdom,” and “Manchester United Kingdom Special Edition.” The smokes are worth around Rs 18.2 crore. Furthermore, the cigarettes lack statutory health warnings and do not adhere to the packaging and labeling regulations set forth in the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The provisions of the 1962 Customs Act have been used to seize the contraband. Additional research is being conducted.
The DRI has confiscated 4.4 crore sticks of counterfeit and foreign-origin cigarettes that were being smuggled via Chennai ports in the last 12 months alone. It is believed that these confiscated cigarettes are worth Rs. 79.67 crore.