Bhubaneswar: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers on Tuesday seized 2,000 packets of imported cigarettes worth Rs 25 lakh from a passenger arriving from Dubai at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA here. The flyer was detained for questioning.This was the third instance of imported cigarettes being seized at the airport in the past two years. The operation was carried out based on technical and human intelligence.

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The imported cigarettes, which attract substantial customs duties, were packed in a suitcase. DRI sleuths did not divulge the name of the carrier as the consignment was worth less than Rs 50 lakh. "The packets did not contain the statutory and pictorial warning printed on them. Further investigation is on to ascertain whether he was just the carrier or he deals in imported cigarettes," a DRI source said.The seized cigarettes, although not laced with marijuana, represented a significant violation of commercial regulations.