Seven hookah bars raided

Seven city bars and restaurants were raided on Friday to check if banned tobacco products were still being sold to customers.

Seven city bars and restaurants were raided on Friday to check if banned tobacco products were still being sold to customers.

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The health and police departments swung into action to ensure proper closure of hookah bars and implement directives issued under Section 144 of the CrPC.

The raids on restaurants and bars Mocha, IPSA, Club Ignite, Blue Eyes, Prison, Odyssey and Mac Howls started around noon and went on till 8pm.

Officials, however, said they did not find any violation of the embargo and claimed none of the bars were found serving hookahs.

Under civil surgeon Dr Praveen Garg, the team raided joints which were earlier known to serve hookahs.

Last November, when the ban was imposed for the first time, these eateries were caught using flavoured tobacco molasses, containing nicotine, in hookahs.

Lalit Goyal, senior drugs control officer, said, “We are conducting raids to check the sale of hookahs in pubs and bars. Frequent checks would definitely bring awareness among people.”

Rakesh Dhaiya, drugs control officer, said, “The samples collected from different places before the ban was put into force were sent for investigation. Once the results come, a court case will be filed against owners found guilty.”