STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Guwahati has turned into a hub of foreign cigarettes in India. Foreign cigarettes go to the other states of the country from Guwahati. It is another challenge for the state police force that has waged war against drugs.
According to police sources, foreign cigarettes come to Guwahati by vehicles or trains via Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram.
The margin of profit is very high. A packet of foreign cigarettes costs Rs Rs 20 in Myanmar. The smugglers sell such a packet Rs 80 in Guwahati, the police said.
Foreign cigarettes come to Guwahati mainly from Myanmar and Korea, the police added.
Smokers do not know the nicotine content of foreign cigarettes as all information on packets are in foreign languages.
The GRP (Government Railway Police) seized 3,000 packets of foreign cigarettes from January to the first week of November in 2021 against 390 packets in the Corona-marred 2020. In 2019, the GRP seized 4,410 packets of foreign cigarettes.
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