Customs officials seized contraband cigarettes and electronic cigarettes worth Rs.65.99 lakh at Coimbatore International Airport during checks on passengers arriving from Sharjah.

According to officials, the Air Intelligence Unit of Customs conducted inspections on February 11 and 12 and recovered the items from 11 passengers who had landed in Coimbatore from Sharjah.

The seized goods include 3.48 lakh cigarettes, 895 e-cigarettes and four mobile phones. Authorities said the items were allegedly being brought into the country illegally in an attempt to evade customs duty.