NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has arrested two members of an e-cigarette racket and seized 830 packets containing the banned substance from Shahdara in east Delhi, officials said on Wednesday. The operation was conducted on Tuesday following a tip-off, a police officer said.
“Based on the tip-off, police launched an operation near the Durgapuri Chowk in Shahdara on Wednesday. At 10:40 pm, a suspect on a motorcycle carrying a suspicious box was intercepted who was later identified as Aditya (20). The accused attempted to flee but police nabbed him as he reached near the Nathu Colony,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said.
Upon search, police found 10 packets of banned e-cigarettes from Aditya’s possession.
During interrogation, he disclosed the location of a storage facility in West Jyoti Nagar, prompting a raid that led to the seizure of 820 packets containing e-cigarettes, the DCP added.
Police also arrested the racket’s mastermind, Priyanshu (22), who ran a well-connected network for procuring and distributing the banned substance, he said. Priyanshu built an organised supply chain to operate discreetly in which Aditya played a supporting role by storing and transporting the banned items, the officer said.
According to the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertisement) Act, no individual or entity is allowed to produce, manufacture, import, export, transport, sell, or distribute electronic cigarettes in India.