VIJAYAWADA: Sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 29,99,600 foreign brand cigarettes worth Rs 3 crore which are being smuggled to Vijayawada on Sunday. The DRI officials also compounded the vehicle used for transporting the stock.
Acting on a tip-off that ‘PARIS’ brand cigarettes are being illegally transported, the DRI-Vijayawada unit launched an operation and intercepted a container truck bearing registration number RJ11 GB3685 on its way from New Delhi near a godown at P Nainavaram village.
Upon inspection, DRI officials found that the vehicle was loaded with HDPE woven sacks containing goods stitched from the top end where the cigarettes were kept hidden under stainless steelware. When questioned, the driver told officials that the vehicle started from New Delhi with another driver and after reaching Gwalior, he took over the vehicle and drove to Vijayawada as per the instructions of his management.