JAIPUR: Two passengers were detained by the Customs Department here after 60,000 cigarettes worth over Rs 3 lakh were seized from them at the Jaipur International Airport, a senior official said today.
The accused, identified as Mohammed Abid (36) and Samir Ansari (27), residents of Delhi who had alighted from Air Arabia flight from Sharjah were detained yesterday after six bags filled with Indonesian brand 'Black' cigarettes worth Rs 3.09 lakh was recovered from them, Joint Commissioner-Customs, Honhar Singh Meena, told PTI here.
A penalty of Rs 20,000 each has been imposed on the duo for allegedly not paying the custom duty and the cigarettes bags were confiscated, Meena said, adding, they were later released after interrogation.
According to the rule, a passenger is allowed to carry only 100 cigarettes after staying abroad for three days, but these passengers allegedly tried to smuggle all of the bags, he said.
Three days ago the duo had gone to Sharjah, and on return they planned their journey via Jaipur, he said. After gold smuggling, the cigarette smuggling is getting momentum in Rajasthan via Sharjah and other places of Dubai, he said.
Customs Department had seized about 80,000 cigarettes in March 2015, followed by 18,000 in May, 67,000 in June and now 60,000 in August, he said.