Around 2,500 imported e-cigarettes, worth over Rs 1 crore, and four kilograms of marijuana have been seized with police arresting two people allegedly involved in selling it to youngsters in Delhi-NCR, police said on Friday, June 14.
The arrested individuals admitted to selling the e-cigarettes, which are banned in India, to students in schools, colleges, universities and PG accommodations across Delhi NCR, as per a report by PTI.
The accused, Ravi Kumar and Shahnawaz, were held late Thursday night, June 13, near Noida's famous Sector 18 market, a senior police official said.
"A gang involved in the supply of cannabis and e-cigarettes has been busted. Two people have been arrested. We have recovered 2,500 e-cigarettes from the gang, with each usually costing between Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 in the black market," DCP (Crime) Shakti Mohan Avasthy said.
"In total, e-cigarettes worth approximately Rs 1 crore have been recovered along with four kilograms of cannabis from their possession," Avasthy said.
He told reporters that the third absconding associate of the gang has been identified as Jitendra Walia, who used to supply these materials to the duo.
Walia alias KD alias Sonu is a resident of Gurugram.
"Efforts are underway to ensure his arrest also very soon," Avasthy said.
According to police, hookah items and over 2,500 hookah flavours were also recovered from the possession of the arrested duo.
The accused were supplying banned substances with hookah items as their front cover, the police said.
An FIR has been lodged at the Sector 20 police station under Section 8/20 of the NDPS Act and under Section 4 of The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, the police said, adding that further legal proceedings are underway.
