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Police in the self-declared independent state of Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, have seized a consignment of cigarettes, the pro-Somaliland administration newspaper 'Mandeeq' reported on 8 September. The consignment, consisting of 132 crates of Benson and Hedges cigarettes reportedly originated from the port city of Bosaso in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, a local source told IRIN on Tuesday. There were various versions of who owned the consignment, but no one had so far claimed ownership, the source said. 'Mandeeq', however, noted that the cigarettes were the same brand as those that a Djibouti businessman used to bring into the country. These were previously supplied to Somaliland by a Djibouti businessman, Abdulrahman Bore.
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The border closure between Djibouti and the self-declared independent state of Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, triggered by a trade dispute over cigarette suppliers, remains in place. Somaliland officials said the action taken by Djibouti earlier this month had not caused significant economic damage, as Somaliland's main trading partner was Ethiopia.
The self-declared state of Somaliland imports 10,000 cases of cigarettes monthly. The trade has become embroiled in controversy, and Djibouti has closed the common border in protest.
Sources in Somaliland told IRIN that as a result of the dispute, local businessmen want cigarette companies to supply directly rather than through the Djibouti-based Horn of Africa representative, Abdulrahman Bore. Bore is seen by Somalilanders to unfairly control the regional cigarette trade
Reports reaching here indicated that tension is rising in the town of Berbera in the breakaway republic of Somaliland after the forces loyal to the self-styled president Mohamed Hajji Ibrahim Egal burned to ashes a large stock of cigarettes on Thursday.
According to eyewitnesses in the town, the forces of Egal confiscated the stock of cigarettes from some businessmen Wednesday night, of which over 3,030 cartoons belonged to tycoon businessman from neighboring Djibouti, Abdurahman Borreh, who is a close clan ally of Djibouti President Ismael Omar Ghuelleh. . .
The confiscated cigarettes are valued at more than 800,000 US dollars, businessmen said.
Officials from the breakaway republic of Somaliland claimed that the businessmen were notified two months ago not to bring the cigarettes in the areas now controlled by their administration.