NANNING - Illicit cigarettes with a market value of around 640 million yuan (about $100 million) have been seized by police in Fangchenggang city in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Altogether 48 suspects were caught, local police said on Wednesday.

On Jan 17, 2017, police received report of smuggled cigarettes being sold in Shenzhen.

Investigation showed that a suspect surnamed Su had been smuggling cigarettes from Vietnam through Dongxing city in Guangxi since 2015. Coach drivers then transport the cigarettes to Shenzhen.