DRI seizes about 3 lakh smuggled e-cigarettes worth over ₹120 crore
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said on 21 May 2026 it had seized nearly 3,00,000 China-sourced e-cigarettes worth over ₹120 crore at ports, airports and ICDs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal.
Summary
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted a large e-cigarette smuggling racket, seizing nearly 3,00,000 e-cigarettes and vapes worth more than ₹120 crore at ports, airports and inland container depots in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal, the Finance Ministry said on 21 May 2026. The consignments were mis-declared and concealed in items described as 'Furniture' and 'Metal Chair Parts', and in every case the goods were sourced from China. E-cigarettes and all Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems are banned in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019.
Key facts
- Agency
- Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
- Seized
- Nearly 3,00,000 e-cigarettes/vapes, worth over ₹120 crore
- Where
- Ports, airports and ICDs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal
- Source
- China (in every instance)
- Concealment
- Declared as 'Furniture' and 'Metal Chair Parts'
- Law
- Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019
Practice MCQs 3 questions
From which country were the nearly 3 lakh e-cigarettes seized by the DRI in May 2026 sourced?
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Correct answer: D — China
The DRI found the prohibited e-cigarettes were sourced from China in every instance.
In which year was the law prohibiting the production, import, sale and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in India enacted?
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Correct answer: B — 2019
E-cigarettes and all ENDS are prohibited under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (...) Act, 2019.
Consider the following statements about the DRI's e-cigarette seizure (May 2026): 1. The seizures were made in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana. 2. The consignments were concealed in items declared as 'Furniture' and 'Metal Chair Parts'. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — 2 only
The seizures were in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal, so statement 1 is wrong; the goods were concealed as 'Furniture' and 'Metal Chair Parts'.