The smuggled e-cigarettes were concealed in containers declared as water glasses and ceramic mugs. DRI has seized nearly 3 lakh e-cigarettes worth over Rs 120 crore in FY27 so far.
Highlights
- DRI seized around 55,000 smuggled e-cigarettes worth Rs 13.5 crore at Kolkata Port.
- The seizure was made on October 24, 2026, during two separate operations.
- Two Nepal-bound containers were falsely declared as carrying water glasses and ceramic mugs.
- Officers recovered 40,000 IGET e-cigarettes from one container and around 15,000 units of various brands from another.
DRI Seizes 55,000 Smuggled E-Cigarettes Worth Rs 13.5 Crore at Kolkata Port
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized around 55,000 smuggled e-cigarettes valued at Rs 13.5 crore during two operations at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata. The seizures were made on October 24, 2026, as part of the agency’s ongoing crackdown on the illegal trade of electronic cigarettes in India.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance on October 28, DRI officers intercepted two Nepal-bound transshipment containers following specific intelligence inputs. The containers were suspected of carrying prohibited electronic cigarettes concealed among legally declared goods.
Smuggled E-Cigarettes Hidden Among Household Items
During the investigation, officials discovered that the two containers had been misdeclared as carrying water glasses and ceramic mugs.
A detailed examination of the first container revealed 40,000 IGET-branded e-cigarettes in different flavours, hidden among the declared cargo.
In the second container, DRI officers recovered approximately 15,000 additional e-cigarettes belonging to various brands, including VTV, VOKO, Bang and Ejoy.
The agency seized the entire consignment, including the goods used to conceal the prohibited products, under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act.
E-Cigarettes Banned in India Since 2019
Electronic cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) are prohibited in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019.
The legislation prohibits the production, manufacture, import, export, transportation, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes.
The government introduced the law to protect public health and prevent potential harm associated with these products.
DRI Seizes E-Cigarettes Worth Over Rs 120 Crore in FY27
The Kolkata operation is part of a broader nationwide enforcement campaign against illegal e-cigarette imports and smuggling.
According to the Finance Ministry, DRI has already seized approximately 3 lakh e-cigarettes worth more than Rs 120 crore during the current financial year 2026-27.
These seizures have taken place across several ports, airports and Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal.
The latest operation highlights continued attempts to smuggle prohibited electronic cigarettes through international cargo shipments by misdeclaring their contents.
