Two arrested for selling e-cigarettes and banned cigarettes worth lakhs

The team of officials recovered 78 e-cigarettes, sold for ₹1,700 each, from the possession of Ahmed. 750 boxes of banned foreign cigarettes and 500 boxes of e-cigarettes were recovered from the possession of Mohan.

Gurugram: A joint team comprising officials of the Gurugram police, chief minister’s flying squad, and health department raided two places on Friday, and arrested two people for allegedly selling e-cigarettes and banned foreign cigarettes.

The market value of the banned cigarettes and e-cigarettes recovered from the possession of the duo is in lakhs, said police. (Representative image)

The arrested men were identified as Mansoor Ahmed and Chandra Mohan, residents of Delhi’s Jama Masjid area and Gurugram Sector 11. The searches were conducted at Qutab Plaza complex of DLF Phase 1 and Vyapar Kendra in Sushant Lok 1, said officials.

The team of officials recovered 78 e-cigarettes, sold for ₹1,700 each, from the possession of Ahmed. 750 boxes of banned foreign cigarettes and 500 boxes of e-cigarettes were recovered from the possession of Mohan.

The market value of the banned cigarettes and e-cigarettes recovered from the possession of the duo is in lakhs, said police.

Harish Budhiraja, inspector, CM’s flying squad, said they conducted the raids after receiving a tip that “two shopkeepers charging hefty amounts for the sale of these banned cigarettes”. “Ahmed bought these cigarettes from Delhi and sold them at Qutub Plaza. Mohan sold the e-cigarettes at his pan shop in Vyapar Kendra illegally,” Budhiraja said.

Cases were registered at the DLF Phase 1 police station and the Sushant Lok police station on Friday, and the officials will take further action against the suspects under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act.