Mira-Bhayandar: In a joint operation, personnel from the anti-human trafficking unit (AHTU) and the anti-narcotics cell (ANC) attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police raided a restaurant that was found serving nicotine and tobacco-laced products inside its hookah enclosure on Friday night.
About The Case
Following information about the use of nicotine and tobacco-laced hookah being served at Hotel Hub Lounge a restaurant located in one of the units of Vikas Industrial Estate in Bhayandar (east), the teams led by police inspectors (AHTU)- Sameer Ahirrao and Amar Marathe (ANC) swooped down on the establishment at around 8 pm and seized hookah pipes, pots and tobacco laced smoking material from the spot.
The owner of the hookah joint identified as Abdul Riyaz Shaikh (28) and a waiter-Jamaal Khan (23) was taken into custody and an offence under the relevant sections of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply, and distribution) Act, COTPA- 2003 was registered against them at the Navghar police station in Bhayandar.
Fourteen soliciting customers mostly youngsters were also rounded up during the raid. Further investigations were underway. Scores of illegal joints and bars have transformed into vice dens by operating in the twin-city under the garb of serving herbal tobacco-free hookah.
