FOUR ACCUSED APPREHENDED AND CONTRABAND WORTH ₹31 LAKH SEIZED
Face2News/New Delhi
With the arrest of four persons namely (1) Santosh (53 years) r/o Sultanpuri, Delhi (2) Mantosh (43 years) r/o Narela, Delhi (3) Kishore (44 years) r/o Guwahati, Assam and (4) Waseem @ Badshah (46 years) r/o Naya Bans, Delhi, a team of Western Range-I/Crime Branch has seized approx. 2.22 Lacs prohibited Cigarettes which were enroute of smuggling from Assam to Delhi.
On 28 October 2025, acting on a credible tip-off received to ASI Tarun Singh Rawat regarding the transportation of a large consignment of prohibited cigarettes from Assam to Delhi, a team of WR-I/Crime Branch led by Insp. Mahipal Singh comprising of SI Ankit, SI Gaurav, ASI Tarun, ASI Rakesh, ASI Aditya, W/ASI Narinder Kaur, HC Naveen, HC Sunil and HC Vinod under the close supervision of Sh. Satendra Mohan, ACP/WR-I was constituted by Sh. Harsh Indora, IPS, DCP/Crime Branch to nab the criminals.
The team conducted a strategic raid at Mori Gate, Delhi, where a truck was identified and search of truck was carried out on which a total of 2.22 Lacs prohibited Cigarettes comprising of two brands i.e 1,27,200 BLACK and 95,400 GOLD FLAKE were found.
The BLACK brand seized cigarette packets were found without mandatory packaging details, health warnings, and pictorial warnings, while GOLD FLAKE brand was not found to be with proper valid documents thus violating provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 318/2025 under Sections 7/20 of COTPA Act was registered and investigation was taken up. The truck driver-cum-owner Santosh Singh (Age 50 years) r/o Sultanpuri, Delhi, was apprehended on the spot.
INTERROGATION: During interrogation, Santosh revealed that he operates a proprietorship firm M/s Shiv Shakti Transport based in Karol Bagh, Delhi. He disclosed that he had been receiving transport assignments from individuals in Assam through phone and Messenger communication. The accused used to receive prohibited cigarettes from Assam-based transporters and get them loaded off at Bawana Industrial Area, Delhi, with the assistance of a scooter rider. The goods were later supplied to Mori Gate as directed by his handlers. The payments were made in cash or online mode.
Mr. Harsh Indora, IPS, DCP, Crime Branch, said, investigstion revealed that once the cigarettes reach Guwahati, they are concealed and clubbed with legitimate, billed consignments that are already in transit to various other states. This strategic blending with lawful goods allows the smugglers to evade detection and facilitates the smooth movement of prohibited cigarettes across state borders. In this manner, the entire smuggling network operates in a systematic and well-organized chain, spanning multiple states and routes.
He further disclosed that neither of callers and scooty driver ever told their name to him. During investigation, both the provided north east mobile numbers were found on fake Ids. Therefore, CCTV footage of the Bawana Industrial Area was searched wherein prohibited cigarettes got loaded off from Assam based truck to Santosh’s truck. After hours of CCTV footage analysis, the registration no. of scooty was obtained. Based on Santosh’s disclosure, technical surveillance and CCTV analysis led to the identification and subsequent apprehension of scooty driver named Mantosh Kumar (Age 43 years) r/o Narela, Delhi & permanent resident of Arrah, Bihar.
LINK TO ASSAM-BASED NETWORK: During interrogation, Mantosh confessed to working for a Guwahati-based transport firm M/s Double Dynamic SR Transportation. Mantosh managed the Delhi regional office of the firm and was in direct contact with an Assam-based supplier Kishore, who orchestrated the delivery of prohibited cigarettes to Delhi using their trucks. Mantosh coordinated with Santosh for safe unloading and further delivery of the prohibited consignments. Messenger chats and financial transactions between Mantosh, Santosh, and Kishore confirmed their nexus.
SEIZURE OF SOURCE TRUCK FROM ASSAM: During investigation Assam based truck which transported the prohibited cigarettes from Guwahati, Assam to Delhi, was traced near Murthal Toll Plaza, Sonepat, Haryana and seized. Its driver, Md. Irshad (Age 25 years) s/o Gyan Mohammad, r/o District Basti, UP, stated that he transported prohibited goods loaded by Kishore of Guwahati on instructions to coordinate with Mantosh in Delhi. Investigation revealed Irshad had no knowledge of the illicit nature of the consignment. Further, during investigation, with the help of technical analysis the alleged Kishore has been traced, interrogated and arrested in the case.
RECEIVER OF PROHIBITED CIGARETTES: During investigation, accused Kishore Kumar of Guwahati, Assam revealed that the seized prohibited cigarettes were meant for Wasim @ Badshah (46), resident of Naya Bans, Delhi. Wasim was traced, apprehended, and during interrogation, admitted his involvement, stating he earned ₹5,000–₹8,000 per carton. Analysis of his mobile phone revealed Messenger chats, payment details, and voice notes with Kishore. He was subsequently arrested in the case based on digital evidence.
MODUS OPERANDI: During interrogation, Kishore disclosed that the smuggling of prohibited cigarettes originates from a border town named Moreh, situated in District Tengnoupal along the India–Myanmar border. According to him, Moreh serves as a major entry point for such illegal consignments entering India from Myanmar. The contraband is first transported from Myanmar to Moreh, then moves through Imphal, Nagaland, Assam, and Meghalaya, before circling back to Guwahati, Assam.
Mr. Harsh Indora, IPS, DCP, Crime Branch, said, investigstion revealed that once the cigarettes reach Guwahati, they are concealed and clubbed with legitimate, billed consignments that are already in transit to various other states. This strategic blending with lawful goods allows the smugglers to evade detection and facilitates the smooth movement of prohibited cigarettes across state borders. In this manner, the entire smuggling network operates in a systematic and well-organized chain, spanning multiple states and routes.
RECOVERY: 1,27,200 (Brand Black) *10 = Rs 12,72,000/-, 95,400 (Gold Flake Brand) *20= Rs 19,08,000/-, Truck No. DL1 LAQ 13XX, used for local transportation of recovered prohibited cigarettes which he got from Assam based truck. Truk No. AS 01 PC 36XX. This truck was used for transporting prohibited cigarettes from Guwahati, Assam to Delhi.
KNOW THE ACCUSED:
Santosh (53), studied up to 8th Class and in transport business from past 20 Years. He runs his proprietorship firm M/s Shiv Shakti Transport and with 03 trucks in his firm. His sole motive was to earn high profits as he is well aware of transportation. He was acting as a link of transporting prohibited cigarettes from Delhi to Ashoka Transporter who was further transporting the said goods to Madhya Pradesh.
Mantosh (43), is a college dropout and is a handicapped. Due to his physical disability, he left his white-collar job which requires prolong hours of working. Later on, he joined the transportation business and started working as a supervisor in M/s Double Dynamic SR Transportation located in Delhi. His sole motive was to earn high profits by acting as a interlink between Assam and Delhi.
Kishore (44 ) is a graduate and he runs a trading company by the name of Prerna Trading Company which deals in disposable and soft drinks. He recently came to know about the high profit included in the business of prohibited cigarettes and for every trip he was saving nearly 01 lacs rupees.
Wasim @ Badshah (46 ), resident of Naya Bans, Delhi is a second-year college drop out. Earlier he used to bet on horse racing but after lockdown he faced heavy financial losses. Thereafter he came to know about high profit included in the business of prohibited cigarettes. He even tried to smuggle prohibited cigarettes from Cambodia but failed. Thereafter he came in contact with accused Kishore and started working in tandem with him. For every trip he was saving nearly 1.5 lacs rupees.
The investigation has uncovered an interstate racket involving transporters and handlers operating between Assam and Delhi supplying prohibited cigarettes through coordinated logistics and financial channels.