Srilanka, March 5 -- Sri Lankan Customs destroyed 8.7 million counterfeit cigarettes, valued at over Rs.1.2 billion yesterday, which had been seized while attempting to illegally import them into the country, using the crushing machine of the Ceylon Tobacco Company.

The destruction of this counterfeit cigarette stock took place at the CTC premises by Sri Lanka Customs' Director General Sanjeewa Nonis and senior Customs Department officials.

The crushed residue of the smuggled tobacco will be sent to the incinerators of the Cement Factory in Puttalam.

Customs Spokesman and Sri Lanka Customs' Additional Director General Sivali Arukgoda said these counterfeit cigarettes have been imported from a number of countries including Dubai, China...