CHENNAI: With smuggling of e-cigarettes into India on the rise, customs officials across the country have been put on alert following inputs that some of the banned devices may be laced with New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), including synthetic opioids, methamphetamine and ketamine, in addition to nicotine. The alert was issued after the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) warned countries of this emerging trend, sources said.
The global body has compiled data from studies conducted on seized vapes, which revealed the presence of substances such as etomidate (an anaesthetic), synthetic cannabinoids, nitazenes (a potent synthetic opioid), and methamphetamine. “These vapes may not always be advertised as containing narcotic substances. It could be a deliberate strategy to get users addicted,” a senior customs official said.
The INCB has urged countries to closely monitor this trend and collect detailed information during seizures, including forensic analysis, origin and destination of shipments, and mislabelling of consignments. Despite the Prohibition of E-cigarettes Act, 2019, banning the sale, production and import of e-cigarettes in India, vapes continue to be available in cities like Chennai, where they are sold discreetly at shops or ordered online through specific websites and social media handles offering flavoured options. The vapes are smuggled to India via air and sea routes from countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and the Gulf. Sources said individual users also procure them by post.
High demand continues to drive the illegal trade, with smugglers relying on courier services, online platforms and concealed shipments to evade detection, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said in its 2023-24 report.
Two months ago, Chennai Seaport Customs seized misdeclared goods worth Rs 18.2 crore, including a large consignment of foreign-made e-cigarettes and hookahs. In another instance, nearly 30,000 vapes were seized in a single container shipment.