NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence’s plan to curb smuggling of foreign cigarettes in India is being put paid to by ‘insiders. According to DRI officials, there were complaints from airlines that local customs staffers at several airports are indulging in ‘illegal’ seizure and sale of cigarettes. Customs staff, often hand-in-glove with smugglers, seize bags containing foreign cigarettes but allegedly don’t inform the airlines, as mandated. Later, they allegedly sell them illegally in the open market.
States like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, which have emerged as big markets for foreign cigarettes, have become transit point for smugglers due to alleged connivance of local customs staff. Interestingly, there is no rise in demand of tobacco products, but smuggling of tobacco items is up by more than 200 per cent in the last four years. Tobacco producers blame the high taxes and excessive regulatory regime for the spike in cigarette smuggling.
Recently, two international airlines raised concerns regarding this with top officials at Delhi airport. In their complaints to customs commissioner, they said customs preventive staff seized bags saying they contained ‘prohibited’ items. When the airlines contacted the passengers concerned, they said they would sort the matter with the customs.
Delhi customs officials refused to come on record but claimed no such case has been come to their notice. However, a DRI official said, “There are complaints of local staff trying to crack a deal with local carriers who failed to cross check-points. We raised the matter in a meeting last month so that such leaks can be plugged.”