From: Deccan Chronicle
SUDHEER GOWTHAM
Hyderabad: The illegal cigarette trade is thriving in Hyderabad and Warangal districts with the help of a mafia operating from Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and the North East. Over a dozen illegal brands have been found circulating in TS and AP.
The mafia networks came to light when enforcement teams of the commercial tax
department studied the movement of illegal cigarette agents. Many undeclared godowns in Hyderabad and Warangal districts were raided under the supervision of commissioner V. Anil Kumar and additional commissioner B. Revati Rohini of the TS CT department.
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Cheap substitutes used in illegal cigarettes:
Illegal cigarettes are a bigger problem than we think, say experts. It allows people to buy them at a low price with no idea about the quality of the tobacco. Illegal tobacco is mainly consumed by the poor. “It is a major public health problem as it promotes smoking. It also undermines efforts against cigarettes and encourages smokers to puff more as it is cheap,” said Dr Vamshidhar Allam, a general physician.
Medical experts say that illegal tobacco contains arsenic, rat droppings and far more tar and carbon monoxide than legal products. Sometimes, it’s not tobacco but things like manure and wooden chips.
