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A consignment declared as packing and wrapping machinery has turned out to contain a complete cigarette manufacturing and packaging plant comprising seven machines, following an investigation by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) at Chattogram port.
The machinery was imported under a false product declaration, with the declared invoice value of US$17,600 standing at nearly one-25th of its estimated market value of US$443,000, according to preliminary CIID findings.
The consignment was imported by Dhaka-based commercial importer JR Business World from Ali Industries Limited of the United Arab Emirates, according to a press release from NBR.
Although initial information identified six machines, a detailed examination uncovered seven pieces of equipment capable of manufacturing and packaging cigarettes.
These include an HPL 225 cigarette maker, HPL packer, HPL feeder, HPL gluing machine, CP1 cigarette pack wrapping machine, SASIB boxer cigarette packing machine and a cigarette film over-wrapper, also known as a cellophane over-wrapper.
The discovery means the consignment contained the core machinery required to manufacture cigarettes, alongside equipment for packaging the finished products.
According to the import documents, the shipment had a gross weight of 5,500kg and a net weight of 5,226kg.
The CIID’s preliminary assessment puts the machinery’s indicative market value at US$443,000, based on website information, against the declared invoice value of US$17,600. The estimated value is around 25 times the declared amount.
However, the directorate said the valuation was preliminary. The final assessable value and applicable customs duties and taxes would be determined after examining the machines’ models, age, condition and comparable import prices.
The CIID said it would conduct a detailed investigation into the accuracy of the import declaration, correct tariff classification, actual value, applicable duties and taxes, and the machinery’s intended end-use.
It also said operations against counterfeit cigarette production and marketing would continue to ensure proper revenue collection from the tobacco sector.
