Bengaluru police bust Dubai-origin fake cigarette smuggling ring; two arrested

In a significant crackdown on counterfeit goods, Bengaluru police have arrested two individuals from Kerala for smuggling fake cigarettes from Dubai into the city. The accused, identified as Mohammed Saheer and Abdul Razak, hailing from Kannur, Kerala, were apprehended in Kalasipalya after a tip-off led to a raid at a private hotel room.

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According to police reports, both of them had been importing fake cigarette packs from Dubai at a cost of Rs 70 each and selling them in Bengaluru for Rs 175, thereby making a substantial profit. The operation was conducted from a hotel room in Kalasipalya, where the accused had set up a makeshift distribution center.

During the raid, law enforcement officials seized approximately 62,000 counterfeit cigarette packs, valued at around Rs 11 lakh. The seized goods were found packed in a suitcase, indicating the scale of the smuggling operation. The police are currently interrogating the suspects to uncover the full extent of the network and identify any other individuals involved in the illicit trade.