India, Oct. 10 -- The Pune customs department last week seized counterfeit cigarettes worth around Rs.35 lakh after conducting searches at seven to eight locations across Pimpri-Chinchwad, with the investigation still underway. The seizure comes amid concerns over the smuggling of foreign-made cigarettes, counterfeit tobacco products and illegal e-cigarettes that contribute to tax evasion, loss of government revenue, and potential health risks.

Thereafter on Thursday, October 8, the department even organised a training session for its officers, with experts from ITC Limited explaining how to identify fake cigarettes from the genuine ones using security features. Customs officials said that the illegal trade involves both smuggled importe...