DRI Busts Massive ₹120 Crore Vape Smuggling Racket Across Multiple Indian States
The DRI seized nearly 300,000 e-cigarettes worth over ₹120 crore from consignments misdeclared as furniture and metal parts.Summary
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a large-scale smuggling operation involving prohibited e-cigarettes across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, and West Bengal. Acting on intelligence, the agency intercepted multiple consignments misdeclared as "Furniture" and "Metal Chair Parts" to evade customs scrutiny. The detailed examination resulted in the seizure of nearly 300,000 e-cigarettes of various brands and flavors, valued at more than ₹120 crore. These devices were sourced from China and imported in concealment. The operation highlights the ongoing efforts to enforce the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, which bans all Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) to protect public health.
(Source：The Free Press Journal)
