August 19: Customs officials in Phuentsholing have seized cigarettes worth nearly Nu. 150,000. The consignment was seized from an Indian national at a scrap yard in lower market on Sunday evening.

Customs officials said they were suspicious when they saw a Maruti van stuffed with carton boxes entering through the Phuentsholing gate at around 8 pm. They had seen the same van being used to smuggle tobacco products in the past.

They followed the vehicle and caught the driver unloading the smuggled goods in the scrap yard. The driver told the police that a man who lives at the vegetable market in Thimphu was supposed to come and collect the goods from him at the scrap yard.

Custom officials in Phuentsholing have seized tobacco products worth around Nu. 900,000 in the past three months.

Police have seized the van which was used to smuggle the products.