Mon Apr 21 22:52:00 UTC 2025: ## Hyderabad Police Bust E-cigarette Ring Targeting Students
**Hyderabad, Telangana, April 22, 2025** – A large-scale operation by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) and Hyderabad City Police has dismantled a sophisticated e-cigarette and vape smuggling ring targeting schoolchildren and college students in Hyderabad. Two brothers, Sadiq Lalani and Anil Lalani, were arrested for operating a digital storefront via a WhatsApp group, “SID,” with nearly 500 members. The group advertised banned products, facilitating orders through UPI, digital wallets, and bank transfers.
The operation was launched after concerns raised by teachers at Little Flower School and St. Mary’s Junior College during drug awareness sessions. The Lalani brothers sourced their contraband from suppliers in Delhi and Mumbai, using hawala operators to transfer funds. Authorities estimate the operation moved approximately ₹1 crore worth of goods in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh.
A search of the Lalani’s residence yielded 1,217 e-cigarettes valued at ₹25 lakh, along with cash and foreign currency. Thirteen minors were identified as customers and will receive counseling. The accused face charges under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (2019), the Juvenile Justice Act (2015), and the COTPA (2003). Investigations are underway to determine the liability of courier services (DTDC) and ride-hailing platforms (Uber and Rapido) involved in deliveries.
The TGANB urged parents, schools, and citizens to report similar activities via their toll-free helpline 1908 or email tsnabho-hyd@tspolice.gov.in. The bust is being hailed as a significant step in protecting Telangana’s youth from nicotine addiction.
First Piper 