Interstate Racket Selling Fake Cigarettes Busted in Lucknow
Phone-based fake cigarette supply chain exposed in Lucknow, 2 held
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
Police in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, dismantled an interstate counterfeit cigarette supply chain, arresting two suspects and seizing a consignment valued at approximately ₹10 lakh (around $12,000 USD). The operation involved sourcing fake cigarettes from Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, distributing them across multiple states to evade detection.
- 01Police arrested two individuals involved in a fake cigarette supply chain.
- 02The operation was phone-based, avoiding traditional retail locations.
- 03A consignment worth around ₹10 lakh was seized.
- 04The counterfeit cigarettes were sourced from Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.
- 05Further investigations are ongoing to uncover the broader network.
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On Friday, police in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, arrested two individuals linked to an interstate racket distributing counterfeit cigarettes. The arrested suspects, Shadab Ali (30) and Shoaib Ali (32), were apprehended in the Para area after police seized a consignment of 3,940 packets of fake cigarettes worth approximately ₹10 lakh (around $12,000 USD). The counterfeit products were allegedly procured from suppliers in Delhi's Sadar Bazaar and smuggled into various states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The operation relied on a phone-based ordering system, allowing the suspects to evade detection by avoiding fixed retail locations. Police officials noted that this tactic complicated enforcement efforts, as there was no physical retail trail to follow. The arrests are part of a larger crackdown on illegal tobacco networks that reportedly result in significant revenue losses. Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify additional members of the supply chain and potential manufacturing units, with more arrests anticipated.
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The crackdown on this counterfeit cigarette operation aims to reduce revenue losses from illegal tobacco sales in the region, potentially benefiting local economies.
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