Baghdad Airport Customs Seizes More Than 13,000 Smuggled Cigarette Packets

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s General Customs Authority said customs teams at Baghdad International Airport transferred 13,297 packets of smuggled cigarettes to the Central Region Customs Directorate in July after completing the required legal and customs procedures. The authority said inspections at the airport also led to the seizure of various goods and cargoes that violated applicable regulations, preventing their entry into the domestic market and sale in local trade. The operations were carried out under the direction of Director General Dr. Shamer Qasim Daoud to improve performance efficiency and protect public revenue, the authority said. Customs units will continue strengthening inspections at border crossings as part of efforts to combat smuggling and protect the national economy, according to the statement.