Three held with over 12,000 prohibited imported cigarettes in northeast Delhi

Delhi Police has arrested three men and seized over 12,000 prohibited imported cigarettes, allegedly being supplied illegally in northeast Delhi, an officer said on Wednesday.

Acting on information about the delivery of prohibited imported cigarettes in the Karawal Nagar area, a team laid a trap near Nala Road in Mahalaxmi Vihar on Tuesday evening, police said.

Around 4.30 pm, three men arrived on a motorcycle, with two of them carrying gunny bags, and waited for the intended recipient of the consignment. When no one turned up, they attempted to leave but were intercepted and apprehended by the police team, a senior officer said.

The accused were identified as Ankit (35), Vishal (28) and Rahul (36), all residents of the Karawal Nagar area.

Police said a search led to the recovery of 79 cartons containing 12,640 cigarettes of a brand, manufactured in Indonesia. The packets allegedly did not carry the mandatory statutory health warnings required under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), making them prohibited for sale in India.

An FIR under Sections 7 and 20 of the COPTA Act was registered and further investigation is underway.

“During interrogation, the accused admitted to their involvement in the illegal supply of prohibited imported cigarettes and disclosed details about the source of the consignment. Verification revealed that Rahul was previously involved in a theft and snatching case, while the other two accused had no previous criminal record,” police added.

Police said efforts are underway to identify other members of the supply chain and trace the source of the prohibited imported cigarettes.