Cops seize Rs1.88L e-cigs hidden in shoe boxes at garments shop

Nagpur: In a major crackdown under ‘Operation Thunder', Nagpur Police seized 62 e-cigarette devices concealed in shoe boxes at a ready-made garments shop at Barakhadi Chowk, Nara Road, Jaripatka, on Thursday. The raid, conducted by the crime branch's anti-narcotics cell, targeted the illegal sale of banned e-cigarettes, following a specific tip-off.Two individuals, shop owner Jitendra Solanki, 36, and worker Yogesh Chandekar, 35, were apprehended for stocking and selling the prohibited items. The e-cigarettes were smuggled into the city from Delhi.The operation was supervised by deputy commissioner of police (Crime) Rahul Maknikar, assistant commissioner of police Abhijeet Patil, and additional commissioner of police (Crime) Vasant Pardeshi, under the guidance of commissioner of police Ravinder Singal. Head constable Vijay Yadav and his team executed a well-planned trap, uncovering the illicit stock hidden in storeroom accessible through a concealed door in the shop's trial room. The seized e-cigarettes are estimated to be of approximately Rs1.88 lakh.The police also confiscated CCTV cameras and recording devices from the premises to aid the investigation. A case was registered at Jaripatka police station under sections 4, 5, 7, and 8 of E-Cigarette Prohibition Act.‘Operation Thunder', spearheaded by CP Singal, aims to curb possession and sale of narcotics across Nagpur. The raid was part of intensified patrolling by the anti-narcotics squad and the action in Jaripatka was based on intelligence about the illegalities occurring in the shop.Further investigations are underway to track down the supply chain and identify any additional accomplices involved in the racket.