Dakshina Kannada: Uppinangady Police seize 52 prohibited e-cigarettes, arrest shopkeeper

A case under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, was registered against the accused

The Uppinangady Police on Saturday, February 25, seized 52 electronic cigarettes from a shop in the town and registered a case under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019 against the person running the shop.

Stating that it could be the second such case in the State under the new Act, Dakshina Kannada District Superintendent of Police Vikram Amathe said Puttur Rural Circle Police Inspector B.S. Ravi and team comprising Harishchandra, Abdul Saleem, Jagadish and Vinayak, raided 4U Best Service shop at Prithvi Complex in Uppinangady.

Sheikh Shahid, 27, son of Sheikh Haroon and resident of Manya in Narimogaru village, who was in the shop was questioned before seizing the e-cigarettes. The accused was later taken into police custody along with the prohibited e-cigarettes.

The Circle Inspector of Police initiated the raid acting on specific information that the banned e-cigarettes were available for sale in Shahid’s shop. Later, the raid was conducted in the presence of Panchas who vouched for the sale and seizure of e-cigarettes. Some of the brands and flavours on sale included Dybvapour 350 Puffs 5% Cucumber Ice, Dybvapour 350 Puffs 5% Lychee Ice, Dybvapour 350 Puffs 5% Blue Mint, Blue Razz, Iced Strawberry, Lush Ice, Peach Ice, Lychee Ice, Tangerine Ice, Cucumber Ice and Sour Apple. The seized items were together worth around ₹26,000.

The Central Government legislated the Act in the interest of protecting the health of the public from harm by using e-cigarettes. A police officer not less than the rank of a sub inspector or any other government officer in the same rank so nominated by the central or state government could take cognisance of the violation of the Act. Violations of the case would have to be tried by a court of Judicial Magistrate of First Class.