ISC, CRIME BRANCH BUSTED A SYNDICATE INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL TRADE OF PROHIBITTED CIGARETTES

INTRODUCTION: 

With the arrest of 04 accused persons namely (1) Anas r/o Farash Khana, Lahori Gate, Delhi-06, Age 32 Yrs (2) Saqib r/o Farash Khana, Lahori Gate, Delhi-06, Age 32 Yrs (3) Sameer Ur Rehman r/o Farash Khana, Gali Samose Waali, Lahori Gate, Delhi-06, Age 23 Years (4) Sagar Haswani  r/o Sector-16, Rohini, Delhi-85, Age-45 Years, a team of Inter State Cell of Crime Branch, Chanakyapuri has busted a Guwahati, Assam-Delhi syndicate which deals in prohibited cigarettes of international brands. 

  A secret information was received to Insp. Mahipal Singh about the arrival of two huge stocks of prohibited cigarettes from Guwahati, Assam to the area of Farash Khana, Delhi and timely raid could lead to recovery of entire stock before further splitting it into smaller quantities. In order to unearth the entire conspiracy of the syndicate and to nab the accused persons a dedicated team comprising of Insp. Mahipal Singh, SI’s Gaurav, Ankit, HC’s Naveen, Sunil, Tarun, Vinod and Nitesh under the supervision of Insp. Satendra Mohan and over all supervision of Sh. Ramesh Chander Lamba, ACP/ISC was constituted. 

On 12.12.2024, in order to execute the raid two teams were formed in which one team was headed by SI Ankit whereas other headed by HC Vinod. The first raid was conducted in a godown at Katra Hiddu, Farash Khana, Lahori Gate, Delhi-06. During the raid on said premises two prohibited cigarettes brands, named Esse Lights and DJARUM Black, were found. The total quantity of prohibited Esse Lights cigarettes is 4,70,000 (each costing Rs 10) and of DJARUM Black cigarettes are 80,000 (each costing Rs 10). The said premises was being run on partnership basis between Saqib and Anas. The second raid was conducted on premises of ground floor of a building in Farash Khana, Gali Samose Waali, Lahori Gate, Delhi-06. During the raid on said premises one prohibited cigarette brand was found named Gudang Garam. The total quantity of seized prohibited Gudang Garam cigarettes was 1,00,800 (each costing Rs 10). The said premises was being run by Sameer. All the above persons were nabbed. The seized cigarettes box doesn’t have statutory warning issued by Ministry of Family and Health Welfare, GOI. Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 258/24, u/s 7/20 COTPA Act, PS Crime Branch, Delhi and the investigation was taken up. 

The interrogation of Saqib, Anas and Sameer divulged the fact that their partner named Sagar Haswani r/o Rohini is the one who used to get the prohibited cigarettes from Guwahati, Assam at cheap rates and after storing them in the said premises the stock used to further get split in smaller quantities which in turn get sold at small cigarette/pan shops at handsome amount thus resulting in huge profits. The revealing of Sagar Haswani name led to his manhunt who was subsequently nabbed from Rohini on 13.12.2024. During interrogation he disclosed that international brand without statutory warning is popular in youth and teenagers so he used to obtain the prohibited cigarettes of international brand from Paltan Bazar, Guwahati, Assam. He used to split the entire stock and get them transported to Farash Kahana, Delhi from where the stock was further split into smaller quantities. 

A total of 03 international prohibited cigarettes i.e Esse Lights cigarettes 4,70,000; DJARUM Black cigarettes 80,000 and Gudang Garam cigarettes 1,00,800. The entire market value of stock is 66 Lacs.

1) Anas is studied upto 10th Class and was working with Saqib from past 02 Years who is also his neighbor. He used to get his commission on the supply to the retail sellers.

 

2) Saqib is studied upto 12th Class and was using his rented premises to store the prohibited cigarettes.  He also got handsome commission on the supply to the retail sellers.

 

3) Sameer Ur Rehman is studied upto 10th Class and was using his cloth shop to store the prohibited cigarettes goods. He was managing the supply chain in Delhi.

 

4) Sagar Haswani is studied upto 08th Class and earlier he was running his mobile shop in Agra but due to loss shifted to Delhi. Later on, he started in the dealing of prohibited cigarettes and was taking the goods from Guwahati, Assam to supply in Delhi.

 

(SANJAY KUMAR SAIN) IPS

Dy. Commissioner of Police

Crime Branch, Delhi