In one of the biggest crackdowns on illegal nicotine product smuggling in recent years, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized nearly 3,00,000 electronic cigarettes and vapes valued at around Rs 120 crore during coordinated operations across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, and West Bengal. The large-scale enforcement action exposed an organised smuggling network allegedly routing banned vaping products into India through multiple ports, airports and Inland Container Depots while concealing the consignments under false declarations.
The seizures were made during a series of operations carried out over the last few days as authorities intensified surveillance on illegal imports of prohibited Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).
According to the Ministry of Finance, the anti-smuggling agency launched the operation after receiving specific intelligence inputs regarding suspicious consignments attempting to bypass customs scrutiny. Officials said DRI teams tracked the movement of multiple shipments that had allegedly been deliberately misdeclared to avoid detection at entry points across the country.
“Acting on specific intelligence, DRI identified, tracked and intercepted multiple suspicious import consignments that were mis-declared to evade customs scrutiny,” the Ministry of Finance stated.
Detailed examination of the consignments led investigators to uncover a massive quantity of electronic cigarettes and vaping devices of different brands, flavours and specifications.
The Ministry of Finance confirmed that the seized consignment included nearly 3,00,000 electronic cigarettes and vaping devices collectively valued at more than Rs 120 crore.
Contraband allegedly hidden inside furniture
Investigators tracing the supply chain found that all the seized consignments allegedly originated from China and were imported through concealment methods designed to escape customs checks.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the prohibited vaping products were hidden inside consignments tagged as items such as “Furniture” and “Metal Chair Parts”.
Officials said the concealment pattern indicated a coordinated syndicate operation involving multiple handlers across states and logistics channels.
The operation targeted several ports, airports and Inland Container Depots as authorities moved to disrupt the illegal supply chain before the products entered domestic distribution networks.
Officials said further investigation is underway to identify all individuals and entities linked to the smuggling racket.
Government reiterates ban on electronic smoking devices
The Centre reiterated that electronic cigarettes and all Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems remain completely prohibited in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019.
The law was enacted in the interest of public health and prohibits the commercial production, import, transport, sale and advertisement of such products across the country.
Authorities stated that any attempt to import or distribute these products constitutes a direct violation of Indian law and public health regulations.