Assam Police seize over 1.5 lakh foreign cigarettes in Guwahati, two arrested

In a major crackdown on the illegal trade of foreign tobacco products, the Assam Police on Sunday night seized 1,59,600 foreign-made cigarettes and arrested two individuals in Guwahati’s Lalmati area.

Acting on a tip-off, a team from Basistha Police Station conducted a search operation in the area and intercepted a cement-laden LP truck, where a large consignment of ESSE Light Slim Cigarettes—manufactured under the authority of KT & G, Korea—was being offloaded into a Tata Intra pickup van.

The two apprehended individuals have been identified as Chandan Barman (48) and Pranjal Das (25). They failed to produce valid documents for the possession and transportation of the contraband.

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Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Assam Police, Rajib Saikia, confirmed the seizure and added, “A total of 798 packets, each containing 10 boxes of 20 cigarettes each, were recovered along with the two vehicles involved in the operation.”

The seized vehicles—a LP truck and a Tata Intra pickup—have been taken into custody. Authorities suspect a larger network behind the illegal trade, and further investigation is currently underway.