Seoul: Customs authorities said Tuesday they have cracked down on three individuals accused of smuggling nearly 2 million packs of cigarettes and making false customs declarations to avoid taxes. The Seoul Regional Customs under the Korea Customs Service said it has referred the suspects to the prosecution on charges of violating the Customs Act.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the suspects reportedly smuggled 1.75 million packs of exported cigarettes back to South Korea by fooling customs as if they were re-exporting them to a third country. They deceived authorities by declaring boxes filled with water bottles and newspapers as cigarettes while hiding the actual cigarettes in a secret warehouse in the port city of Busan, approximately 330 kilometers south of Seoul, authorities said.

In that process, the suspects evaded paying around 6.1 billion won (US$4.2 million) in taxes, according to authorities. The ringleader is reportedly on trial for a similar cigarette smuggling attempt and was found to have amassed assets worth hundreds of millions of won, including an expensive apartment in Seoul. Customs authorities said they have seized the assets in cooperation with the prosecution.