Imported cigarettes smuggling racket busted in Delhi; 3 held

New Delhi: With the arrest of three men, the Delhi Police has busted a imported cigarettes smuggling racket and recovered 16,190 packets of illegally smuggled imported cigarettes, including cigars worth approximately Rs 30 lakhs, officials said on Monday.

Cigarettes were being illegally brought to India via Cambodia, they said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shweta Chauhan said that on Sunday, a secret information was received that some persons involved in the smuggling of imported cigarettes were present in IP Estate area and were in possession of cartons of illegally smuggled imported cigarettes.

"Acting upon the secret information, the team of special staff apprehended three persons identified as Md Danish (39), Shoaib Riyaz (27) and Rajesh Kumar (50) and 12,510 packets of illegal cigarettes were recovered from their possession," she said.

A case was registered under the relevant sections of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act 2003 at IP Estate police station, she added.

"During interrogation, accused persons revealed that earlier they used to smuggle cigarettes via Dubai but due to heavy restrictions on the route, they have changed the route and are now smuggling via Cambodia to bring cigarettes to India," the DCP said.

Police said that further investigation is being done to ascertain the magnitude of the offence and identify others involved in the racket.