In continuance with their action against illegal and immoral activities in the twin-cities, the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) Police Commissionerate raided a lounge bar which doubled up as a hookah joint in Kashimira on Friday.
According to the police, following specific information about the use of nicotine and tobacco laced hookah was being served by Hotel Mira Republic -- a lounge bar operating from the second floor of a building in the Hatkesh area of Kashimira.
A police team led by Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Hazare and API Mahendra Bhamre raided the premises on Friday night. The team seized hookah pots and tobacco-laced flavours. While four people including the manager, cashier and waiters of the establishment were taken into custody for facilitating the illegal activities, nine soliciting customers were also rounded up, said the police.
A case under the provisions of the Epidemic Act, Disaster Management Act and relevant sections of the IPC and 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 accused. Further investigations were underway.
Several bars and eateries in the twin-city are openly serving tobacco-laced hookah to their clientele under the garb of herbal flavours. It may be recalled that the Navghar police had raided a hookah den on Thursday which was operating from a flat in the Indralok area of Bhayandar (east).
