Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force, Central Zone Team, along with Saifabad Police apprehended a 28-year-old man involved in the illegal sale of banned electronic cigarettes and seized 670 e-cigarettes worth Rs 21 lakh from his possession.
The police raided a flat located in Prinstancode Apartments, Adarsh Nagar, under the jurisdiction of Saifabad Police Station. During the operation, Akash Sinde was arrested and e-cigarettes of various brands such as Elfbar, Elux, Raya D1, Nasty, and Shisha were seized.
According to police, Akash, originally a resident of Mangalhat, was employed as a caretaker by one Vishesh Agarwal at Prinstancode Apartments, located opposite Grand Bazar, Adarsh Nagar, on a monthly salary basis.
Task Force DCP YVS Sudheendra said that in pursuit of easy and illegal profits, Akash began procuring banned e-cigarettes at low cost from Delhi through a network of agents. He then transported them to Hyderabad, stored them at the said premises, and sold them clandestinely to known and needy customers, primarily targeting college students, teenagers, and youth.
Electronic cigarettes contain Nicotine and harmful chemical-laced flavors, making them highly addictive and injurious to health. The easy availability and appeal of these products are leading to increased consumption among the younger demographic.
The accused, along with the seized material, has been handed over to the Saifabad Police for further legal action.
