NEW DELHI: In a significant crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade, the Delhi Police’s Operations Cell of the South-West District has successfully busted a godown storing a massive consignment of foreign cigarettes, leading to the arrest of two individuals involved in its distribution. The operation resulted in the seizure of 94,000 packets of foreign cigarettes, all found to be in blatant violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, as they lacked mandatory statutory health warnings and Maximum Retail Price (MRP) information.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Parikshit (22), the owner of the godown and a resident of Vasant Kunj, and PP Chengappa (40), a resident of Kodagu, Karnataka. Police sources revealed that the duo was importing these cigarettes illegally from countries like Greece and Dubai, intending to distribute them across Delhi-NCR and parts of South India.
The bust followed a specific tip-off received by the Operations Cell team on June 27 regarding a large stockpile of illicit tobacco products in a basement warehouse in Nangal Dewat, Vasant Kunj. Acting swiftly, a police team raided the location and apprehended the suspects. Among the seized brands were L&B Original Silver, King Size Mayfair, Richmond King Size Real Blue, and Richmond King Size.
A case has been registered at Vasant Kunj South Police Station under relevant sections of the COTPA Act. Both accused are currently in custody, and further investigation is underway to identify the broader network involved in this illegal operation. A senior police officer affirmed the commitment to dismantling such rackets that pose a significant threat to public health. More operations and surveillance are ongoing to trace the entire supply chain and other potential godowns or distributors linked to the accused.
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