Tobacco duty concession delayed to ease declaration: Customs

The deadline for the cessation of duty exemption on tobacco or nicotine-containing products and their consumption devices has been postponed to complete the arrangements and to make certain changes in the rules, customs officials said on Thursday.

Customs had earlier announced that it would stop duty concessions on tobacco products and nicotine devices from Thursday onwards

However, Customs has now decided to introduce the change from November. 

Customs Deputy Chief Superintendent Ahmed Niyaz told Atoll Times on Thursday that nicotine-containing products brought by tourists from abroad will have to be declared at customs when duty is levied, and that they are working to ease the declaration process for travellers.

"We’ve postponed this date for the second time now. It is to complete the declaration arrangements," he said.

He added that the labelling rules for tobacco products imported and sold in the country should also be amended and another reason for delaying the implementation of the new rule was the amendment of the rules.

Customs said on Wednesday that under the amendment to the regulations, duty concessions on some items have been extended.

These include:

Other changes under the rule came into effect on Thursday. The duty exemption on goods brought by tourists and small items brought by individuals has been increased to MVR 10,000.