Overview
- The Department of Trade and Taxes’ Anti‑Evasion Branch‑II stopped a vehicle and seized about 4.20 lakh sticks of ESSE Light cigarettes during a late‑night check on Wednesday, and the consignment remains in custody.
- Inspectors found the front of the packets did not carry the pictorial health warning required under Section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, making their sale or distribution illegal in India.
- Officials have initiated action under the GST Act, started legal proceedings, and are scrutinising transport paperwork to determine unpaid tax liabilities and compliance with import formalities.
- One report identified the seized brand as South Korean‑made super‑slim cigarettes, a product type that has previously been linked to smuggling into the Indian market.
- Delhi’s chief minister said the government will press strict enforcement, and the seizure could lead to more checks on imported tobacco that affect small retailers and importers as investigators trace supply routes.