·
Directorate
of Revenue Intelligence conducted a major crackdown on illegal import of
prohibited e-cigarettes and vaping products.
·
The operations
were carried out across:
o Maharashtra,
o Gujarat,
o Delhi,
o and West Bengal.
·
DRI
intercepted multiple suspicious consignments at:
o ports,
o airports,
o and Inland Container Depots (ICDs).
·
Nearly
3,00,000 electronic
cigarettes/vapes of various brands and flavours were seized.
·
The
total value of the seized goods is estimated at more than Rs 120 crore.
·
Investigations
found that all the prohibited vaping products were sourced from China.
·
Importers
allegedly mis-declared the consignments to evade customs checks.
·
The
vapes were concealed inside goods declared as:
o “Furniture”
o and “Metal Chair Parts”.
·
Electronic
cigarettes and all Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) are banned in
India under the:
o Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act,
2019.
·
The
law prohibits:
o production,
o manufacture,
o import,
o export,
o transport,
o sale,
o distribution,
o storage,
o and advertisement of e-cigarettes.
·
The ban
was introduced in the interest of public health and to protect people from the
harmful effects of nicotine addiction.
[ABS News Service/21.05.2026]
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
ICDs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal in last few days.
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 such as “Furniture” and “Metal
Chair Parts”.
Electronic
cigarettes and all Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) are prohibited
in India under 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.