Investigators are probing the wider network behind the illegal import and distribution of foreign cigarettes
Delhi Police have busted an illegal cigarette smuggling racket and seized banned imported cigarettes worth nearly Rs 1 crore, arresting four people in connection with the operation. The crackdown is part of an intensified drive against the illegal trade in foreign tobacco products that bypass Indian regulations and tax laws.
According to police, the accused were intercepted following specific intelligence inputs about a consignment of prohibited foreign cigarettes being transported into the national capital. During the operation, officers recovered thousands of packets of imported cigarette brands that are banned for sale in India as they do not comply with mandatory packaging and health warning norms prescribed under Indian law.
Investigators said the seized products lacked the statutory health warnings required under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), making their import, distribution and sale illegal in the country. Authorities believe the consignment was meant to be supplied to retailers in Delhi and neighbouring regions through an organised smuggling network.
The four accused have been taken into custody, and police are now trying to identify the larger syndicate involved in procuring and distributing the contraband. Investigators are also examining the supply chain to determine the source of the cigarettes and whether similar consignments had previously entered the market.
Officials suspect the smuggled cigarettes were brought into India through international routes before being transported to Delhi for distribution. Raids are underway to identify warehouses, distributors and other members of the network allegedly involved in the racket.
Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act and other applicable laws. Further investigation is underway to trace the financial transactions linked to the illegal trade and establish the full extent of the smuggling operation.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that the sale of prohibited foreign cigarettes not only violates Indian regulations but also causes significant revenue losses to the exchequer while posing public health concerns due to the absence of mandatory statutory disclosures
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
