Illegal e-cigarette racket busted; 1 arrested

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has busted an illegal e-cigarette trafficking racket, arresting one person and seizing a large consignment of prohibited electronic nicotine delivery systems in southeast Delhi, an official said on Wednesday.

Police intercepted a scooty-borne suspect, identified as Aman Ansari (31), on January 6. During a search, six e-cigarettes were recovered from his possession, he said. During questioning, Ansari allegedly told investigators that he was working as a distributor for a larger syndicate and was being paid a monthly salary ranging between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 to manage storage and supply, a senior police officer said.

He also disclosed that the prohibited e-cigarettes were being sold at prices ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per unit, he said. “Following sustained interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed the location of a godown used for storing illegal e-cigarettes.