A Pune police raid at a cosmetic jewellery shop in Viman Nagar has led to the seizure of banned e-cigarettes, hookah flavours, 130 grams of ganja and other items valued at ₹2.17 lakh, with Airport police booking the 22-year-old shop owner for allegedly operating the trade from the premises.
The raid was conducted on the night of November 3 at Cloud Cartel, Shop No. 9 in Lunkad Dreamland, according to Airport police. The accused, identified as Abhilasha Pankaj Ahirrao, is a resident of Viman Nagar and had allegedly been running the activity from the shop, which was registered as a cosmetic jewellery outlet.
Police said the operation followed information received about the alleged sale of e-cigarettes and hookah flavours. PSI Nitin Rathod of Airport police station told Pune Times Mirror that Ahirrao was facing financial difficulties and had started selling the prohibited products. Police seized the goods and served her a notice directing her to appear at the police station for further investigation.
The seized items included e-cigarettes from brands such as Elf Bar, iJet Pop and Yuto Beyonder. Police recovered 15 e-cigarettes from the shop and 10 Elf Bar watermelon honey pods from the trunk of an electric motorcycle parked outside. Investigators also seized 17 packets of hookah flavours, two hookah pots, a small weighing scale and other equipment allegedly linked to the business.
The seizure further included 130 grams of ganja, a mobile phone, ₹24,500 in cash and the electric motorcycle. Police estimated the combined value of the seized material, vehicle and phone at ₹2,17,100. The recovery of a weighing scale and cash forms part of the material being examined as investigators assess how the alleged sales were conducted.
According to police, Ahirrao had previously operated a shop in Deccan, which she shut down last month before starting the Viman Nagar outlet. Investigators suspect that orders were being taken over the phone and supplied to customers in the surrounding area. The locality includes several IT companies and educational institutions, making the alleged retail activity a matter of concern for enforcement agencies monitoring the sale of restricted products near commercial and student-oriented zones.
Airport police registered a case under Sections 8(a) and 20(b)(ii)(A) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The case also invokes provisions of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, and relevant sections of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003.
Police said the investigation is continuing to establish the source of the banned products and determine whether other people were involved in the alleged trade. Ahirrao has been asked to appear at the police station as investigators proceed with the case.
