Raids in Margao, Vasco seize goods worth over Rs 6 lakh; four arrested in separate raids
MARGAO
The South Goa police launched a major crack down on sale of e-cigarettes in the district, with the men-in-uniform seizing e-cigarettes worth lakhs of rupees in raids in the commercial capital.
The raid comes in the wake of the death of the 20-year-old BITS Pilani student Rishi Nair with the Randox test confirming presence of drugs in his body and demand by political parties and citizens group to clamp down on drugs and illegal sale of cigarettes.
In the first raid, a team of Margao police led by PSI, Nilesh Shirvoikar raided a shop located on the ground floor of a commercial building near the Old South Goa Collectorate building. Police claimed they have arrested two persons, Sunaidh and Suhail Nadaf, both residing near the KTC Bus Stand, Margao and natives of Karnataka, for being in alleged possession and illegal sale of e-cigarettes.
The police alleged the duo was involved in the sale of imported cigarettes without the 85 per cent of graphic health warning on the cigarette packet and seized from them the e-cigarette/ vape being illegally sold in the shop.
The estimated cost of the goods is pegged around Rs 5.32 lakh. The duo were later released on bail.
In another raid, the Margao police arrested one person namely Ayan Shaikh, resident of Moddi-Navelim, after he was allegedly found in illegal possession and sale of e-cigarettes all worth Rs 40,000 in a shop. The accused was later released on bail.
The arrests were made under Section 7 of The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarette (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act 2019.
E-cigarettes worth Rs 51,000 seized from Vasco shop
VASCO: Vasco police seized a stock of e-cigarettes worth around Rs 51,000 from a shop near Cine Vasco on the night of September 12.
Police said the raid was carried out at the Pop Corn Store around 9.45 pm, where the accused, identified as Siraj Ali of Vasco, was allegedly found in illegal possession of 20 e-cigarettes.The seized items were taken into custody, and a case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarette (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019.
Police added that the accused, Siraj Ali, was arrested and later released on bail. Further investigation is being carried out by Head Constable Ashish Naik of Vasco Police Station.
‘Not just a seizure, but a signal’: MLA Silva hails Margao raids
