Mumbai Crime: Cops crack whip on illegal hookah parlours across city

The raid on Air Eleven hookah parlour at Malad West

The Mumbai Police, in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has started taking action against illegal hookah parlours across the city with around 25 such joints being demolished over two days. The police told mid-day that there are many people running hookah parlours in the terrace area of establishments
without permission.

The Mumbai Police started a special drive on April 25 and began cracking down on illegal paan-bidi shops. Additionally, several people caught selling or consuming drugs were arrested during the raids. Speaking with mid-day, Joint Commissioner (Law and Order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary said, "Under this special drive, we are also taking action against illegal hookah parlours across the city. Till now we have demolished around 25 such parlours. We found that these parlours also add tobacco to the hookah mix."

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On Tuesday, the BMC and the Bangur Nagar police conducted a joint operation to demolish the Air Eleven bar lounge and hookah parlour, located above Aura Hotel in Malad West. The officials also seized some items during the operation. Speaking with mid-day, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 11) Ajay Bansal said Air Eleven was constructed illegally on the terrace area and were serving drinks and hookah without any valid licence.

"The BMC informed us about this illegal place and we helped them demolish it," said Bansal. Since the beginning of the drive, the police have demolished 866 illegal pan-bidi shops across the city and fined 4,276 people under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act for smoking in public places. Also, around 35 FIRs have been registered against paan-bidi shopkeepers found selling drugs.