Five arrested in Delhi with over 250 e-cigarettes worth Rs 5 lakh

Five individuals have been arrested for allegedly storing, transporting, and selling e-cigarettes in Delhi, police said on Friday.

Police said that they recovered 257 e-cigarettes valued at approximately Rs 5 lakh, along with Rs 4 lakh in cash, from the suspects.

Since September 2019, the manufacturing, importing, advertising, and sale of e-cigarettes have been prohibited in India.

At around 2 a.m. on October 2, a police patrol team noticed an Ertiga car parked suspiciously near the Ashok Park Main Metro station, prompting concern, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vichitra Veer.

Shortly after, another car arrived at the location, and individuals began transferring boxes into the Ertiga, the DCP added.

The Delhi police apprehended both drivers and confiscated 20 boxes, each containing 10 e-cigarettes. Additionally, Rs 4 lakh in cash was found in their possession, according to the officer.

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The two arrested were identified as Ritik Uppal, aged 22, and Sabi Kumar, aged 32. Upon further questioning, they revealed the names of three other individuals — Aniket (32), Pawan Chaurasia (42), and Dikshant Kumar (28) — who were also involved in storing and selling e-cigarettes.

“All three were subsequently arrested, and an additional 57 e-cigarettes were recovered from them,” the DCP said.

(With inputs from PTI)