Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A trader of Maharani Road was arrested for allegedly selling e-cigarettes, hookah, hookah flavours etc from his godown on Tuesday. Goods including e-cigarettes worth Rs 10 lakh were recovered from his possession and further investigations are on.

According to additional DCP (crime) Rajesh Dandotiya, information was received that a trader was supplying banned e-cigarettes from his godown in Cosmetic Market on Maharani Road. The crime branch team raided the godown named Beauty Villa where Umesh Nanikshahi, a resident of Parshwanath Nagar area of the city, was found.

During a search, 304 e-cigarettes in packets, 560 hookah flavours, 30 hookah, 20 charcoal boxes and other goods worth Rs 10 lakh were seized from there. The accused allegedly informed the crime branch that he had stored the e-cigarettes to sell them in the city. The e-cigarettes were seized under Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) from there and the accused is being questioned for his source of e-cigarettes.

The crime branch officials claimed that the accused used to supply the e-cigarettes to students and youths in the city. He and his accomplices also used to supply the same in some pubs and bars in the city. He used to supply e-cigarettes through online booking.