Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch conducted a raid on Friday night at two locations in Kurla West. The team found a large stock of e-cigarettes allegedly meant for illegal sale
The accused allegedly stored e-cigarette stock for distribution despite the nationwide ban on it.
In a major crackdown on illegal e-cigarette trade, the Crime Branch’s Unit 6 team of Mumbai Police raided two godowns in Kurla West and seized banned foreign-manufactured e-cigarettes and tobacco products worth over Rs 25.5 lakh.
A 31-year-old man named Ubaid Salim Shaikh has been arrested by the police in connection with the case.
Acting on a tip-off by Senior Inspector Bharat Ghone of Unit 6, the crime branch conducted a raid on Friday night at two locations – Ashabai Chawl (Room No 12) and Vitthal Bai Chawl (Room No 24), in Makadwala Compound of Kurla West. The team found a large stock of e-cigarettes allegedly meant for illegal sale.
The seized items include 1,884 pieces of e-cigarettes of various flavours from 12 different brands, valuing around Rs 24.65 lakh, assorted hookah tobacco flavours valued at Rs 40,045, cash worth Rs 4,400, and a mobile phone worth Rs 40,000, taking the total value of the seizure to Rs 25.50 lakh.
Shaikh, a resident of Ruby Cottage near Netaji Nagar in Kurla West, allegedly stored the stock for distribution despite the nationwide ban on e-cigarettes under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019.
A first information report (FIR) has been registered at Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station under Sections 7 and 8 of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, along with Sections 4 and 21 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.
Further investigations are underway to identify the source of the seized items and ascertain if there are others involved in the illegal distribution network. The case has also been cross-referenced with the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch for further probe.
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