Smuggled foreign cigarettes seized in Manipur during lockdown, one held

Imphal, Apr 25 () The Manipur Police on Saturdayseized over 45,500 packets of smuggled foreign cigarettes fromKakching district during the ongoing lockdown and arrested aperson in this connection.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of police personnelintercepted a vehicle at Pallel checkpost and seized thecigarettes, smuggled from Myanmar, a senior officer said.

The consignment was handed over to the customsdepartment, and necessary action will be taken against theperson for defying the lockdown order, he said.

In view of the spread of novel coronavirus, the stategovernment had banned the import of packaged food items fromChina, Myanmar and Southeast Asian countries which do notcomply with the norms of the Food Safety and StandardsAuthority of India.

The state police had on Thursday seized over 800packets of cigarettes, made in Myanmar, from Thoubal districtin two separate operations, and arrested two persons includinga woman. CORBDC BDC