More than $65,000 worth of undeclared cigarettes have been intercepted by the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service after officers uncovered 8,340 cigarette sticks hidden in hard-to-access areas of a foreign fishing vessel that arrived in Suva last Friday.
FRCS says the undeclared cigarettes represent a potential loss of government revenue and pose a risk to Fiji's border security.
FRCS says the cigarettes were valued at $65,230 and were concealed in difficult-to-access areas of the vessel in an attempt to evade detection.
They say the successful interception was made possible through targeted risk profiling, intelligence sharing with counterpart agencies and the vigilance of Customs officers conducting thorough searches.
They say the Fiji Detector Dogs Unit also assisted in the operation.
FRCS says the seizure highlights the importance of intelligence sharing, effective risk management and strong cooperation between enforcement agencies in detecting illicit goods and protecting Fiji's borders.
FRCS says it remains committed to strengthening maritime enforcement, combating smuggling and safeguarding government revenue through close collaboration with its key partners.
