AHMEDABAD: In a crackdown on unlawful e-cigarettes, the Ahmedabad crime department police in Kalupur arrested two males for possessing contraband value Rs 9.42 lakh.

The operation unfolded within the bustling space of Gandhi Street in Ahmedabad.

Performing on a tip-off a couple of suspect transporting e-cigarettes close to Valanda Ni Haveli on Gandhi Street, the police initiated surveillance of the required location. Their vigilance paid off after they noticed a person, later recognized as Azim Shaikh, 25, from Kalupur, carrying a bag stuffed with e-cigarettes.

Shaikh, upon questioning, revealed that he had acquired the e-cigarettes from a retailer on Gandhi Street.

Furthering their investigation, the police carried out a raid at Arihant Kitchen, the place they uncovered a big stash of e-cigarettes.

A complete of 628 e-cigarettes, valued at roughly Rs 9.42 lakh, have been recovered from the premises.

The store, situated within the coronary heart of town, is owned by Manoj Maniar, a 34-year-old resident of Meghaninagar.

Each Shaikh and Maniar have been booked underneath the stringent Prohibition of Digital Cigarettes Act, 2019.