EAGLE Force busts sale of e-cigarettes from two Hyderabad stores
Hyderabad police and the EAGLE Force have dismantled an illegal e-cigarette distribution network operating out of two local stores. Authorities seized banned products and identified hundreds of consumers through digital transaction records, signaling a crackdown on the illicit sale of vapes to minors.
Why it matters
The case highlights the growing challenge of regulating illicit e-cigarette markets and the use of digital platforms for illegal distribution in urban India.
The Telangana EAGLE Force, along with Madhapur police, busted the organised sale of banned electronic cigarettes at two outlets in Madhapur and Durgam Cheruvu and apprehended three persons on Thursday (September 3, 2026).
Acting on information that e-cigarettes were being sold to minors, the teams raided Smart Smoke near Metro Pillar 1775 in Madhapur and Smoke on Vibes near Metro Pillar 1745 at Durgamcheruvu. They seized 152 e-cigarettes, 34 packets of foreign cigarettes, and ₹9,500 in cash.
Police said the two outlets were owned by Aboobakar Siddiqui and Rameez, both from Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka. Smart Smoke had been operating for about two years, while the second outlet was opened around two months ago.
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