Crime branch busts interstate gang involved in illegal sale of e-cigarettes and knives

New Delhi: The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has dismantled an interstate gang involved in the illegal sale and distribution of e-cigarettes and buttoned knives, leading to the arrest of 15 individuals. The operation, which spanned across Delhi, NCR, and Gujarat, resulted in the recovery of 2,710 packs of e-cigarettes and 746 illegal knives, the Delhi police informed on Monday.

The investigation began when ASI Virender of the ISC Crime Branch received intelligence about a group engaged in the unauthorised sale of e-cigarettes in several parts of Delhi. Further probing revealed that the suspects were also involved in distributing illegal knives through online platforms. The team, led by Inspector Shivraj Singh Bisht and supervised by ACP Ramesh Lamba, swiftly developed a plan to intercept the suspects.

Amit Goel, DCP Crime Branch, said that a coordinated raid was conducted near Punjabi Bagh Club, where two cars were intercepted, leading to the recovery of 380 packs of e-cigarettes. The accused, identified as Vishal, Gagan Makheeja, Punit Chandok, Amit Shokeen, Karan Bagga, Ayush Mittal, Manish Barera, Sahil Kaushik, Chetan Khawadiva, and Suresh Bishnoi, were arrested. Following this, a further search led to the recovery of an additional 2,330 packs of e-cigarettes and 516 illegal knives from a godown.

In a parallel operation, four more accused persons, Rahul Raj, Ajay Kumar, Rajiv Relia, and Varaiya Dhiraj—were arrested for their involvement in the illegal knife trade. These accused were using online platforms to sell over 1,000 illegal knives across the country in the past eight months. During raids in Delhi, NCR, and Gujarat, 230 additional illegal knives were recovered, Goel mentioned.

The operation revealed that the accused sourced these knives from Gujarat and sold them at inflated prices to individuals across India. The gang operated an extensive network, with some members like Ajay Kumar using e-commerce platforms to facilitate sales and delivery, Goel confirmed.

Among the accused, Rajiv Relia (55)—a resident of Sonipat, Haryana, and a graduate of Delhi University—was identified as a key figure in the operation. He had shifted from Delhi to Sonipat eight years ago and previously ran a shop in Sadar Bazar. Another accused, Rahul Raj (35), a native of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, had been running an e-commerce business in Burari, Delhi, since 2015, the official said.

The case has been registered under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, and the Arms Act. The police are continuing their efforts to track down additional members of the gang, including an accused named Fayaz, who remains at large, Goel added.