The Pune Customs Department has broken a new modus operandi of illegal smuggling foreign branded cigarettes from Ahmedabad to Pune worth of Rs 14.40 lakh. These products such are traded for a higher price to retailers for them to gain enormously by pushing sales of such substances.

The Commissioner of Customs Pune division has recovered five cardboard boxes containing 300 cartons packed with 72000 sticks of contraband foreign-made cigarettes. This contraband was of Gudang Garam brand and was worth Rs 14.40 lakh. It seized from the Travel company based near Golibar Maidan in Camp, Pune.

Superintendent Narcotics Alexandar Lee, speaking to Mid-Day, said, "The mandate of the customs preventives is to nab economic offenders involved in the evasion of customs duty and criminals engaging in activities of trafficking of Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic Substances. This consignment was sent from Ahmedabad to a customer in Pune through a travel bus."