Ahmedabad, Jan 25 (IANS): In a crackdown on illegal e-cigarettes, the Ahmedabad crime branch police in Kalupur arrested two men for possessing contraband worth Rs 9.42 lakh.

The operation unfolded in the bustling area of Gandhi Road in Ahmedabad.

Acting on a tip-off about a suspect transporting e-cigarettes near Valanda Ni Haveli on Gandhi Road, the police initiated surveillance of the specified location. Their vigilance paid off when they spotted a man, later identified as Azim Shaikh, 25, from Kalupur, carrying a bag full of e-cigarettes.

Shaikh, upon questioning, revealed that he had acquired the e-cigarettes from a store on Gandhi Road.

Furthering their investigation, the police conducted a raid at Arihant Kitchen, where they uncovered a significant stash of e-cigarettes.

A total of 628 e-cigarettes, valued at approximately Rs 9.42 lakh, were recovered from the premises.

The shop, located in the heart of the city, is owned by Manoj Maniar, a 34-year-old resident of Meghaninagar.

Both Shaikh and Maniar have been booked under the stringent Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019.