The maritime customs in Hamad Port thwarted the smuggling of 4,423 parcels of the prohibited chewing tobacco (tambaku) on Thursday.

"The contraband was hidden in a secret way inside a shipment of hand brooms, and the total weight of the prohibited substance reached 5528.75 kilograms," customs said on Twitter.

الجمارك البحرية بميناء حمد تحبط تهريب 4423 طرد من مادة التنباك الممنوعة، تم إخفاء الممنوعات بطريقة سرية داخل شحنة للمكانس اليدوية ، وقد بلغ الوزن الإجمالي للمادة الممنوعة 5528.75 كيلوجرام#جمارك_قطر pic.twitter.com/5jRtGleGdn

— الهيئة العامة للجمارك (@Qatar_Customs) January 7, 2021

This is the first smuggling case reported by the local authority at the beginning of the year.

The latest report was on December 24, when ​the maritime customs foiled another smuggling attempt of prohibited tobacco substance.

A shipment of women clothes in Hamad port was suspected and transferred to the x-rays device. When the container was unloaded, they found 3,586 packages of prohibited tobacco, hidden in a secret way inside black bags among the clothes The total weight of the seizure is 4482,5 kg, a seizure report was issued accordingly.