150 tonnes of Pakistani tobacco seized at Ctg port

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate has seized 150 tonnes of raw tobacco, which arrived from Pakistan in 10 containers at Chattogram Port.

The tobacco was imported under the bonded warehouse facility by Global Leaf Tobacco Company Limited. 

According to a press statement issued on Thursday, it could be used to produce about 21.43 crore premium cigarettes with an estimated retail market value of roughly Tk493.86 crore.

Preliminary reviews also found significant discrepancies in the declared import value. Customs duties on similar goods under the same HS code are normally assessed at $5.10 per kilogram, but this shipment declared a value of only $1.45 per kilogram. Based on earlier import valuations, the revenue loss at the import stage alone is about Tk21.12 crore.

Customs Intelligence warned that if tobacco imported under bonded facilities, and the goods later produced from it, are not properly tracked and controlled, there is a risk of customs duty and tax evasion at every stage, from import through production to marketing.