Mira Bhayandar: Restaurant raided for illegal sale of hookah; nine arrested

The Navghar police on Sunday night raided a makeshift hookah joint in an apartment in Bhayandar East. A patrolling team led by Assistant Police Inspector Yogesh Kale raided a second floor flat in Sai Deepak building and took operators and employees into custody. Six soliciting customers were also rounded-up, the police said.

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Numerous hookah joints operate from residential buildings

The police seized hookah pots and different tobacco-laced flavours worth over ₹25,000 from the flat. Apart from slapping sections of the Indian Penal Code for negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter and endangering life and personal safety of others, an offence under the relevant provisions of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act)- (COPTA), 2003 has been registered against the suspects. 

Owners of several such unnamed hookah joints that clandestinely operate from residential and industrial units have been using social media applications to communicate with potential clients. Further investigations are underway.