Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 2 has busted an illegal network involved in the storage and sale of banned electronic cigarettes in the Kambala Hill area of the city. Acting on specific intelligence, the Crime Branch conducted a raid at a restaurant named Light of Persia and seized 157 foreign-made e-cigarettes worth approximately ₹4.71 lakh. The restaurant operator has been arrested in connection with the case.
According to the Crime Branch, preliminary investigation revealed that the illegal business of selling banned e-cigarettes was being run under the guise of a restaurant. On January 7, Unit 2 in-charge Police Inspector Dilip Tezankar received a tip-off that a restaurant in Kambala Hill was openly stocking and selling electronic cigarettes banned by the Government of India. After verifying the information, a police team carried out a raid at the premises.
During the search of the counter and concealed compartments inside it, the police recovered a large quantity of e-cigarettes of various foreign brands, flavours and puff capacities. Shockingly, to attract customers, a display board listing the available e-cigarettes along with their prices had also been put up at the counter.
In total, 157 e-cigarettes belonging to multiple companies were seized, with an estimated value of ₹4,71,000. The person present at the spot identified himself as Hamid Raza Safar Ali Karimi (44). He was arrested for illegally possessing and selling banned e-cigarettes.
A case has been registered against the accused under Sections 7 and 8 of the Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Prohibition Act, 2019. Police are further investigating the source of the seized consignment and whether an organised network is involved. Further investigation is underway.