Hyderabad: The Telangana Eagle Force has intensified its raids on the sale of banned e-cigarettes and vapes after complaints that the trade is thriving. The complaints said the products are aimed at students, minors and youth, who are getting drunk. In the past two months, the force has raided seven shops and outlets in the state.
Officers recently raided The Smoke Shop in Sainikpuri, Hyderabad, along with the Kushaiguda police. They arrested two men from Kerala, Ubais (20) and Ussainar PH (19). Their interrogation showed that the illegal business runs from Kerala and Karnataka. Preliminary investigation found that the individuals and organisations supplying the goods from those states have made transactions worth more than Rs 10 crore. The Eagle Force is now digging deeper in that direction.
Police are searching for Arshad, who supplies e-cigarettes to a shop in Sainikpuri. Eagle Force officials said Ubais met Arshad, a native of Kerala, in Bengaluru. Police suspect the two used digital systems in the business. They used a separate mobile number for transactions and for talking to customers.
Payments through PhonePe, deliveries through Rapido
Investigators found that the racket received payments through PhonePe. It used a Canara Bank account in Kasaragod, Kerala, linked to a Sanar. The investigation also showed that Rapido services delivered the goods to customers.
The Eagle Force is also examining the wider network behind the illegal trafficking and sale of banned e-cigarettes from China. Officials said they have found traces of transactions worth more than Rs 10 crore linked to Kasaragod in Kerala and Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka. They are investigating whether delivery and transport services such as Rapido, Porter and Uber carried the goods. They also want to know whether the people who moved the goods knew what they were carrying.
Officials said the role of each person involved is likely to become clear only after they analyse the financial transactions and the links between suppliers and shops. So far, the force has identified about 45 users in Hyderabad.