DRI Busts Massive ₹120 Crore Vape Smuggling Racket Across Multiple Indian States

Mumbai: In a major crackdown against illegal import of prohibited nicotine products, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a large-scale e-cigarette (vape) smuggling racket in its operations across several ports, airports and Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal in last few days, agency officials said on Thursday. These prohibited e-cigarettes were found to be sourced from China in every instance and imported in concealment in the items such as “Furniture” and “Metal Chair Parts”, officials said.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI identified, tracked and intercepted multiple suspicious import consignments that were mis-declared to evade customs scrutiny. Detailed examination led to the seizure of nearly 3,00,000 electronic cigarettes/vapes of various brands, flavours and specifications valued at more than Rs 120 crore. These prohibited e-cigarettes were found to be sourced from China in every instance and imported in concealment in the items such as “Furniture” and “Metal Chair Parts”.

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Electronic cigarettes and all Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) are prohibited in India under the the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019, enacted in the interest of public health and to protect people from harm.

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