New Delhi: Beware if you are a cigarette smoker – you may be puffing on a counterfeit cigarette that flaunts a high-value label like Marlboro or 555 but is packed with dodgy tobacco that can even kill.
Swayed by fancy cigarette brands from the Western world, many smokers remain unaware that the cigarettes they buy from local paan shops often lack the statutory pictorial health warnings mandated by the Government of India. In their bid to save a few hundred rupees, these smokers are putting their lives at serious risk.
Understandably, counterfeit cigarettes are part of a global scam. According to Italian customs authorities, in July this year they seized 150 tonnes of counterfeit cigarettes from the largest illegal factory ever busted in Italy.
The 1,600-square-metre factory was hidden in an underground bunker near the town of Cassino, southeast of Rome. The facility produced more than 7 million cigarettes a day — around 2.7 billion a year — according to police estimates.
The illegal factory was accessed via “a sophisticated hydraulic mechanism that perfectly concealed the bunker where the machines were installed and tonnes of counterfeit cigarettes were stored,” the customs authorities stated. Officers who raided the concealed site discovered electric switches hidden inside a cardboard box while searching an “almost completely empty” logistics warehouse that “showed no sign of suspicious activity.”
It is possible that many people who are fond of foreign brands could be smoking cigarettes made by dubious factories abroad. However, some experts who track this trade disagree. An informed police officer said, “We have plenty of dodgy factories in India — why would we import counterfeit cigarettes from Italy or elsewhere? It’s not true.”
Manoj (name changed), a regular smoker, admitted, “I smoke Marlboro Lights, which usually cost ₹340 per packet. But when I buy the imported ones, I get them for ₹250. The seller claims they come from Dubai, saying the tobacco is not only different but better than local brands.”
He added, “Also, I don’t have to see those disturbing warnings on the packet. The imported cigarettes we get at a cheaper rate don’t have them, which makes smoking more comfortable.”
An investigation by Health On Air (HOA) revealed that a well-organized gang is running this illicit trade across Delhi and other metropolitan cities. These counterfeit cigarettes are being sold openly in local markets, generating massive profits for smugglers while causing huge losses to the government exchequer.
According to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs, authorities seized around 3.93 crore cigarettes till June 2025, valued at over ₹100 crore. Estimates suggest that the government loses nearly ₹15,000 crore annually due to counterfeit cigarettes.
When HOA spoke to Devesh Chandra Srivastava, Special CP (Crime Branch), Delhi Police, he confirmed the growing menace. “We recently busted a major racket involving illegal cigarettes being supplied without the statutory health warnings mandated by the Government of India. Two suspects were apprehended from Chandni Chowk, and a large consignment of prohibited cigarettes was recovered.”
From the raid, police seized 5,500 packets containing 1,10,000 cigarette sticks of various brands, valued at approximately ₹25 lakh. The seized stock included Mond (500 packets/10,000 sticks), Benson & Hedges (1,000 packets/20,000 sticks), MST Paris International (2,000 packets/40,000 sticks), and State Express 555 Albert Jerry (2,000 packets/40,000 sticks).
In another incident in Rohini, Delhi Police apprehended Anoop Chaurasiya, 32, who ran a paan shop. From his possession, 10,000 banned Esse Gold brand cigarettes were recovered. “We are further investigating to trace the source of the banned cigarettes,” Srivastava said.
HOA also spoke with 53-year-old Azar Ansari from Ghaziabad, who admitted to being part of the counterfeit cigarette trade. Ansari revealed that he joined the business six years ago. “I had a paan shop, but the earnings weren’t enough. That’s when I shifted to the wholesale supply of cigarettes. The profit margins were much higher with counterfeit brands, so I stayed.”
Explaining the supply chain, he said, “We get our consignments from Dubai via containers. We usually pay 20 percent in advance and clear the remaining once the consignment arrives.”
Medical experts warn that the consequences of this illegal trade go far beyond lost revenue. Dr. Girish Tyagi, President of the Delhi Medical Association (DMA), called the trend a “huge health hazard.”
“These cigarettes are made with adulterated tobacco containing toxic substances like lead, arsenic, and even rat poison. They can cause serious health issues,” he explained. “Smokers are at a higher risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory problems. The lack of regulation and quality control in these illegal products makes them particularly dangerous, as most smokers are unaware of what they’re consuming.”
As counterfeit cigarettes continue to slip into the hands of unsuspecting smokers, India faces not just a law-and-order problem but a looming public health crisis.
(Cover Image Credit: Canva)
