Latest news with #CigarettesandOtherTobaccoProductsAct
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Focus on aviation safety brings smoking on flights under scrutiny
KOCHI: Renewed scrutiny of aviation safety, following the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, has shone the light on a concerning trend: Frequent incidents of passengers smoking inside planes, particularly in lavatories. According to police, there has been an increase in recent months of incidents involving passengers caught smoking on board overseas flights. In just the past two weeks, two passengers were detained for smoking on flights arriving in Kochi from Gulf countries. Officers of Nedumbassery police station said that at least six such cases have been registered in the last one year. The latest incident took place on June 15, when a passenger from Chalakudy was caught smoking in the lavatory of a Dubai-Kochi SpiceJet flight. Airport security officials detained the man and handed him over to local police. A case was registered under Section 118(e) of the Kerala Police Act for public nuisance and endangerment, and Sections 4 and 21 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) for smoking in prohibited areas. Last month, a similar offence was reported involving a Thrissur passenger travelling from Dubai. 'In recent months, we have been receiving frequent reports of passengers caught smoking on board, mostly in lavatories,' said Rajesh T R, deputy superintendent of police, Aluva. 'Smoking on flights is strictly prohibited due to the threat it poses to passengers and safety. Many offenders use e-cigarettes, assuming these won't be detected. Since these products are more accessible in foreign countries, passengers often carry and use them mid-flight. Though the offence is bailable, we do file a charge sheet and the accused must face trial,' he said.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
755 kg gutkha, tobacco products, three cars seized in Erode
A special team of the district police on Thursday seized 755 kg of banned gutkha and tobacco products worth ₹4.55 lakh from three cars in Chithode. Acting on a tip-off that gutkha was being smuggled in cars, a team under the direct supervision of Superintendent of Police A. Sujatha, along with the Chithode police, intercepted two vehicles at Devankadu Junction on the Salem–Coimbatore National Highway. The drivers—V. Raveendran (37) of Kalingarayanpalayam in Bhavani and G. Ranjithkumar (25) of Moovendar Nagar in Elavamalai—gave evasive replies during questioning. Upon inspection, the police found 469 kg of gutkha and tobacco products hidden in the vehicles. The two men, along with the cars and the contraband, were taken to the Chithode police station. Further investigation revealed that the duo had collected the products from a car parked on a farmland at V. Mettur in Kumarapalayam, Namakkal district. The land belonged to Raveendran. An additional 286 kg of gutka and tobacco products were seized from the vehicle there. Police said the contraband had been purchased in bulk from Karnataka and was being distributed in retail across Erode and Namakkal districts. A case was registered against the two under Sections 111(2)(b) and 123 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Section 24(1) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. In total, gutkha and tobacco products worth ₹4,55,802, three cars, two mobile phones, and ₹3,000 were seized. The accused were produced in court and remanded in judicial custody.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Hans India
One held for selling foreign fags; stocks worth Rs 7L seized in city
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, Central Zone Team, along with Afzalgunj Police, conducted a raid at Gowliguda and apprehended a person involved in illegal import and sale of foreign cigarettes worth Rs 7.05 lakh. The Police on Tuesday conducted a raid at Gowliguda (back side of the Bus Depot) and arrested Manohar Singh (27). According to police, he was found to be illegally importing foreign cigarettes at a low price from Delhi to Hyderabad through private transport services. Police said Manohar was storing the contraband at his residential premises and selling it at higher rates to pan shops, kirana stores, and petty vendors across the city, thereby earning illegal profits. 'Without any valid tax invoices, he was purchasing various brands of foreign cigarettes at a low cost and transporting them to Hyderabad via private road transport services,' said YVS Sudheendra, DCP Task Force. The DCP said that upon arrival, he stored the cigarette cartons at his residence and sold them at inflated prices to local shopkeepers and vendors. The illegal sale of these foreign cigarettes, which do not carry the mandatory statutory health warnings, not only violates COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) but also evades government taxes imposed to discourage tobacco consumption. As per COTPA regulations, it is mandatory for cigarette packets to display graphic health warnings covering 85% of the packaging space. However, these illegally imported foreign brands do not comply with the packaging and labelling requirements set by the Government of India. The accused, along with the seized contraband worth Rs 7,05,000 has been handed over to the Afzalgunj Police for further investigation and necessary legal action.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Man held in Hyderabad for illegally selling foreign cigarettes, stock worth over ₹7 lakh seized
D A man involved in illegally procuring and selling foreign cigarettes without statutory warnings or tax documentation was arrested by the Central zone team of the Commissioner's Task Force along with the Afzalgunj police during a raid near Gowliguda bus depot. The accused, identified as 27-year-old Manohar Singh, a resident of Gowliguda Chaman, was allegedly importing foreign cigarette brands from Delhi using private transport services. During the raid, police seized 322 cartons of seven foreign brands worth ₹7.05 lakh. The police said each brand was being sold in bulk, with most boxes containing ten smaller packets each. According to police, Singh initially worked in the cigarette lighter marketing business but turned to the illegal trade in foreign cigarettes in pursuit of easy money. Officials noted that these foreign cigarette packs did not carry the mandatory health warnings required under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), which stipulates that 85% of the packaging must display pictorial and textual health warnings. The accused, along with the seized items, was handed over to the Afzalgunj police for further investigation.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Jurisdictional police in the dock after CCB raids 19 pubs and bars for serious violations
Jurisdictional police personnel are in the dock following a series of raids carried out by Central Crime Branch officials on 19 pubs and bars in West and Central Divisions, which not only exposed multiple violations, but also a lack of monitoring by the jurisdictional police. Taking a strong exception to the violations, Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that a probe had been ordered into the lapses on part of the jurisdictional police and action will be taken based on the report. Based on a tip-off received by the Commissioner, 11 special police teams of CCB carried out surprise checks at pubs and bars in Upparpet, Cottonpet, Kalasipalya, Cubbon Park, and Ashoknagar police station limits. The officials found 19 establishments were violating rules and also employed women staff illegally. The bars and pubs lacked basic hygiene and had no smoking zones. These pubs and bars were also involved in gross violations of excise rules and operating beyond permissible time limits and did not comply with Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 regulations. According to a senior police official, the pubs and bars have been operating illegally for the last few months and the jurisdictional police failed to monitor and check them. 'It is the responsibility of the beat police, patrolling police, area in-charge officer along with his local intelligence network to monitor pubs and bars on a regular basis. The raids exposed lapses on their part and failure to do due diligence,' the officer said. As part of the probe, the jurisdictional police officers will be summoned for questioning and their statement recorded, following which necessary action will be taken. One of the police officers, who was part of the raid, in his report stated that by the time the police reached a particular pub in Ashoknagar, the women working in the bar had been taken out and the premises were clean with no violation. The police have recovered the CCTV camera footage to check for violations. This also hints at the pub management being tipped off about the impending raids, an officer said. Meanwhile, staff of the bars and pubs alleged that the raids carried out by the police were selective and many pubs and bars carrying out similar activities were ignored.
