KATHMANDU: A man was arrested by Noida Police in a huge bust for allegedly smuggling e-cigarettes worth INR 800,000 (about Rs 1.2 million). Riyaz Ahmad, 35, a resident of Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, was apprehended early Monday morning near Sector 37.
Ahmad admitted, per police reports, that he had purchased the electronic cigarettes from a foreign vendor at the border between India and Nepal. These products were first smuggled into Nepal before being introduced into India. Both the design and manufacturing were done in China. Ahmad was traveling from Uttarakhand to Delhi in a Maruti Swift car, intending to sell the e-cigarettes at Delhi's restaurants and bars.
The arrest resulted from a tip-off, causing an increase in police presence in Sector 37. Ahmad was captured at the Sector 39 police station's Sector 37 police outpost, which is under its jurisdiction. The truck carrying the electronic cigarettes was also seized by the authorities.
Ahmad is currently being prosecuted under the NDPS Act, the COTPA Act, and the Prohibition of e-Cigarettes Act (PECA, NDPS, and COTPA). In the fight against the illicit smuggling of e-cigarettes in the area, this operation represents a major breakthrough.
