Delhi Police STF seizes 78,800 illicit foreign cigarettes in Khari Baoli raid
Synopsis
Delhi Police's Special Task Force recovered 78,800 foreign-brand cigarette sticks — spanning nine labels including Dunhill, Davidoff and Djarum Black — from a single shop in Khari Baoli's wholesale market. None carried India's mandatory health warnings. One manager has been arrested; the shop owner remains at large as investigators probe a wider supply network.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police STF raided Shop No.
6363, Naya Bans, Pan Mandi, Khari Baoli on 8 October 2026 .
78,800 cigarette sticks across nine foreign brands — including Dunhill, Davidoff, Djarum Black and Esse — were seized.
None of the seized stock carried the mandatory pictorial health warnings required under COTPA .
Junaid Ahmed , 45 , was arrested; the shop owner remains at large and is being traced.
An FIR has been registered at Lahori Gate Police Station under Sections 7/20 of COTPA , dated 7 October .
Investigators are working to identify suppliers and map the complete distribution network.
The Special Task Force (STF) of Delhi Police on 8 October 2026 dismantled an illegal stocking and distribution operation dealing in foreign-brand cigarettes, recovering 78,800 cigarette sticks from a shop in Khari Baoli and arresting one person. None of the seized stock carried the mandatory pictorial health warnings required under Indian law, police said.
How the Raid Unfolded
The STF's North unit received specific intelligence on 7 October about illegal storage and distribution of imported cigarettes at Shop No. 6363, Naya Bans, Pan Mandi, Khari Baoli. A dedicated team was assembled under the supervision of Inspector Ashish Kumar Dubey, STF In-charge (North), and the guidance of ACP/Operations/North Vishesh Dhatterwal.
The team comprised Sub-Inspectors Saurav and Sartaj, Assistant Sub-Inspectors Rajiv and Shahir, Head Constables Nishant, Parveen and Mukul, and Constables Nishant and Mayank. During the raid, Junaid Ahmed, 45, a resident of Naya Bans, was apprehended from the premises.
What Was Seized
The recovered consignment spanned nine international brands: 32,200 sticks of Esse Lights, 32,000 of Mond, 5,200 of Esse Special Gold, 2,400 of Esse Golden Leaf, 2,400 of Win, 1,600 of Djarum Black, 1,400 of Dunhill Silver, 1,000 of Dunhill Black, and 600 of Davidoff Gold. None of the sticks bore the pictorial health warnings mandated under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
What Ahmed Disclosed
During questioning, Ahmed reportedly told investigators that he had been working as a manager at a gutka shop on the same premises for the past six months. According to police, foreign-brand cigarettes were stocked in bulk and supplied both in retail quantities and against specific bulk orders.
The owner of the shop was not present at the time of the raid, and police teams are actively working to trace him and determine his alleged role in procurement, storage, and sale.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
An FIR dated 7 October has been registered at Lahori Gate Police Station under Sections 7/20 of COTPA. Investigators are working to identify the suppliers involved and trace the full source and distribution chain of the recovered consignment. This comes amid broader enforcement drives targeting illicit tobacco trade in Delhi's wholesale markets, which authorities say fuel both tax evasion and public health risks.
Police said the investigation remains active, with the complete procurement and supply network yet to be established.
Point of View
000 cigarettes across nine foreign labels — without a single mandatory health warning — points to a supply chain that operates with striking regularity. The fact that the shop owner was absent and the arrested employee was merely a manager suggests this is unlikely to be an isolated node. Khari Baoli's dense, cash-driven trade environment has historically made enforcement difficult and accountability thin. Whether investigators can work backwards to the importers and distributors, rather than stopping at the retail point, will determine whether this raid is a meaningful disruption or a temporary inconvenience to a larger network.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Delhi Police seize in the Khari Baoli cigarette raid?
Delhi Police's Special Task Force seized 78,800 cigarette sticks belonging to nine international brands, including Esse Lights, Mond, Dunhill, Djarum Black, and Davidoff Gold, from a shop in Khari Baoli's Pan Mandi area on 8 October 2026. None of the sticks carried the mandatory pictorial health warnings required under Indian law.
Who was arrested in the Delhi illicit cigarette case?
Junaid Ahmed , 45, a resident of Naya Bans, was arrested during the raid. He reportedly told police he had been working as a manager at the gutka shop for six months. The owner of the shop was not present and is currently being traced.
Under which law has the FIR been registered?
An FIR has been registered at Lahori Gate Police Station under Sections 7 and 20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) , dated 7 October. COTPA mandates pictorial health warnings on all tobacco products sold in India.
Why are foreign cigarettes without health warnings illegal in India?
Under COTPA, all tobacco products sold in India must display prescribed pictorial health warnings covering a specified portion of the packaging. Cigarettes imported and sold without these warnings violate Indian law, exposing sellers to criminal liability. The law also restricts the import and distribution of tobacco products that do not meet domestic labelling standards.
What is the current status of the investigation?
The investigation is ongoing. Police are working to trace the shop owner, identify the suppliers, and map the full procurement and distribution network behind the seized consignment. The STF has said it aims to establish the complete chain involved in the illegal stocking and sale of the foreign cigarettes.
