Three held with vapes and banned foreign cigarettes

Three individuals were arrested in Hyderabad for selling e-cigarettes and banned foreign cigarettes, according to the Commissioner’s Task Force and Banjara Hills police. The trio, identified as Mohammed Muneer, Abdul Rahman Meehraj, and Mohammed Eyas, were apprehended in Srinagar Colony for allegedly possessing 53 vapes, 10 bottles of flavors, and 76 boxes of cigarettes valued at ₹2 lakh.

Acting on credible information, the Commissioner’s Task Force team from Jubilee Hills, in collaboration with Banjara Hills police, conducted a raid at the Srinagar Colony location, discovering the accused in the possession of these prohibited products.

The accused claimed they were originally from Kerala and had recently migrated to Hyderabad to establish a business. They informed investigators that they had identified a growing demand for e-cigarettes and foreign cigarettes in the city, prompting them to capitalize on the trend by selling these items. The police stated that the accused procured the banned foreign cigarettes from Mumbai, paying between ₹600 to ₹800 per box, and sold them in Hyderabad for up to ₹2,500.

Under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, the sale, manufacture, import, distribution, transport, storage, and advertisement of e-cigarettes are strictly prohibited.