Hyderabad: A 27-year-old man was arrested in Hyderabad for illegally procuring and selling foreign cigarettes, with contraband valued at ₹7.05 lakh seized during a raid by the Commissioner’s Task Force, Central Zone, in coordination with Afzalgunj Police Station.
The accused, Manohar Singh, a resident of Gowliguda Chaman, was found to be importing foreign cigarette brands from Delhi via private transport. Without proper tax invoices, he stored the goods at his residence and supplied them to local pan shops, kirana stores, and vendors at marked-up prices.
Police seized boxes of foreign cigarette brands including L&M, Mond, Win, Black, Esse, Rothmans, and B&H. None of the packs carried the mandatory graphic health warnings required under India’s Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
Authorities said the accused, originally in the lighter business, turned to smuggling to make quick profits. The act not only violated labeling laws but also evaded government taxes aimed at curbing tobacco consumption.
The seized goods and the accused were handed over to Afzalgunj Police for further legal proceedings.
