Mumbai : In a major crackdown, Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch Unit-6 seized banned electronic cigarettes valued at approximately ₹25.50 lakh from a warehouse in Kurla West. One person has been arrested in connection with the illegal stockpile.
The operation was launched following a tip-off received by Senior Inspector Bharat Ghone about a significant consignment of e-cigarettes being illegally stored at the Makadwala Compound. Acting swiftly, the Unit-6 team raided the location and apprehended Ubed Mohammed Salim Shaikh, 31.
During the raid, the police recovered 1,844 boxes containing e-cigarettes, components, and rechargeable kits from various manufacturers. The entire consignment is believed to have been stored for illegal distribution.
An FIR has been registered at Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station under Section 8 of the Electronic Cigarettes (Prohibition of Production, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019. The act completely bans the production and sale of e-cigarettes across India.
Police have initiated further investigation to trace the supply chain and identify other individuals linked to the racket.
