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Time of India
17-07-2025
- Time of India
Customs thwart bid to smuggle foreign cigarettes worth 50L
Chennai: Customs sleuths at Chennai airport thwarted attempts to smuggle e-cigarettes and foreign-brand cigarettes worth 50 lakh through postal parcels and have launched a hunt for the suspects. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Based on intelligence, a team of customs officials checked the parcels at the foreign post office at Chennai airport on Monday and seized 10 carton boxes sent from Dubai. Each box, weighing about 25 kg, contained a mix of foreign brand and Indian brand cigarettes. In total, 2.3 lakh cigarette sticks worth 25 lakh were seized. On Wednesday, customs sleuths also seized three carton boxes, each weighing 29 kg, that arrived from Malaysia. Although the consignment was declared as cloth hangers and textiles, customs sleuths found 998 e-cigarettes worth 25 lakh hidden inside. The contraband was seized under sections 110 and 111 of the Customs Act, the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, and the COPTA Act. Although the parcels had different addresses for delivery. Officials said some of them were fake and others said the parcels were not meant for them. Officials suspect that the receivers deliberately provided fake addresses to claim the parcels at the post office in person.
India Gazette
31-05-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
Karnataka government bans smokeless tobacco products to protect 'public health' on World No Tobacco Day
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 31 (ANI): On World No Tobacco Day, the Karnataka government issued an important notification to protect 'public health' by banning the use of smokeless tobacco products in public places. The action was taken by State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who brought an amendment to the COTPA Act and banned hookah, along with curbing smokeless tobacco products. This has now been recognised by the President, and a notification has been issued by the state government today. From now on, not only smoking but also smokeless tobacco products cannot be consumed and vaped in public places in the state. Apart from cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products were harmful to public health. The virus could be spread from one person to another in the air by consuming tobacco products and inhaling them in public places. It was especially challenging for the public to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus. It also caused problems for patients with TB. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who had closely observed these problems, amended the previous COPTA Act to protect public health and got it approved by both houses of the state. Since it was a central law, it was sent for the president's approval. This important step of the state government has been approved by the President, and a notification has been issued by the state government today. 'These measures will play a crucial role in safeguarding public health, and the official order issued on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day is a commendable step. In addition to the existing ban on tobacco consumption in public places, chewing and spitting tobacco have also been prohibited. The sale of tobacco products to individuals below the age of 21 is now banned. Furthermore, the use of hookah has been prohibited in eateries, pubs, bars, and restaurants,' said the Minister in a post on X. The fine for smoking in public places, which was Rs 200, has been increased to Rs 1000. The sale of tobacco products by those under the age of 21 has also been banned. Hookah has been banned in eateries, pubs, bars, and restaurants, and the law provides for a fine of at least Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and a three-year prison sentence against hookah bars. (ANI)
