Crime Branch gets cracking on e-cigarettes in Mumbai

The e-cigarettes seized by ANC on Wednesday

The Mumbai Crime Branch has launched a massive crackdown on drugs and e-cigarettes being sold near schools and colleges. In multiple operations carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) and Social Service Branch (SSB) in the last two weeks, thousands of e-cigarettes and drugs worth crores were seized. Dozens of accused, including African nationals, have been apprehended.

The ANC, on Tuesday night, carried out six operations and arrested 10 accused, including the owner of Mumbai's iconic Muchhad Panwala, Shivkumar Tiwari, for allegedly selling e-cigarettes, which are banned in India. Tiwari was earlier arrested by the NCB for allegedly selling ganja at his pan shop.

The Muchhad Panwala shop raided by ANC at Khetwadi in south Mumbai

"We have been going strongly against the drugs and other illegal activities happening near the schools and colleges; multiple operations have been launched to eradicate the drug menace near the education institutes, which is destroying our youth," said Lakhmi Gautam, joint commissioner (crime), Mumbai Police.

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According to the ANC, on Tuesday night, four cases of e-cigarette sale were registered, which also led to Tiwari's arrest; his pan shop was raided in the Khetwadi area as was his godown. Hundreds of e-cigarettes containing nicotine and tobacco flavour have been seized. "The seizures are under Sections 7, 8, and 9 of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act of 2019, and the accused have been arrested. Further investigations are on to trace where the huge quantity of e-cigarettes were procured," said Prakash Jadhav, DCP ANC. During the searches, the ANC seized e-cigarettes worth Rs 1,36,500.

Mucchad Panwala owner Shivkumar Tiwari alias Shiva Pandit, who was arrested

Apart from e-cigarettes, ANC has also arrested a Nigerian national Charles Samuel, 40, who was found selling MD and cocaine near Rustom Ji International School and Jr College in Borivli. "We have been focusing more on the drug chain, which supplies drugs near schools and colleges, and have successfully arrested multiple accused," Jadhav added.

Earlier this month, the SBB had carried out raids at pan shops near schools and colleges and arrested three people in two different cases with the seizure of e-cigarettes worth Rs 8 lakh. The raids were conducted near St Joseph School in Juhu and St Xaviers School in south Mumbai. "These cigarettes are banned in India as youths are getting addicted to them," an officer from SSB said.

The SSB has also written to the department concerned in the BMC to demolish such pan shops or seal them for selling illegal goods under the pretext of pan masala.

"There is lack of awareness among people about e-cigarettes. We want to tell them that it is banned by law and using the same is prohibited in India," Jadhav added.

10
No. of people arrested in the crackdown