Hyderabad police broke up the illicit trade and the flourishing illegal e-cigarette business in the city’s shadows on Thursday. Acting on a tip-off, law enforcement officials, including the vigilant staff of the IS Sadan Police Station, arrested Tharif Hussain, a 30-year-old two-wheeler dealer from Khalander Nagar. Hussain had transformed his modest vehicle dealership into a front for dealing banned Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, namely, e-cigarettes, which Indian law prohibits due to their toxic nicotine content and considerable health risks.

The investigators executed the raid with precision, intercepting Hussain as he rode his Honda Activa through the area. In the ensuing search, officers uncovered an impressive haul, 90 pieces of ELFBAR e-cigarettes featuring assorted flavors, each promising up to 40,000 puffs, a cache valued at more than Rs 2,50,000. Along with the nicotine devices, officials seized Hussain’s two-wheeler, a high-end Apple iPhone, and Rs 2,900 in cash, further underlining the scope and profitability of the racket.

The probe revealed that Hussain sourced his contraband from an associate named Aizaz, enabling him to exploit a network of “needy customers” eager for instant gratification. The profit margins were significant; banned e-cigarettes typically fetch inflated prices among Hyderabad’s youth and working professionals, especially as enforcement tightens nationwide. Hussain’s operation highlights not only the ongoing demand for illicit nicotine products but also the innovative means criminals employ to circumvent police vigilance, resorting to e-cart couriers and complex distribution chains.

This particular case unfolded under the direct supervision of Inspector S. Saidababu, with Sub-Inspectors M. Madhu and K. Rama Rao, and their team, meticulously coordinating the operation. The Hyderabad police, led by Ande Srinivasa Rao (Additional Deputy Commissioner), have intensified their efforts in recent months to counter the growing trade in Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), responding to credible intelligence and mounting public concern.