An Indian investigation found that Mumbai international airport's duty-free shops run by billionaire Gautam Adani's ​business group breached the law by selling nicotine pouches, which the government considers a public health hazard, according to documents from an ‌investigation.
Adani denies wrongdoing and is asking judges to declare that a law covering drugs and cosmetics does not apply to duty-free shops and nicotine pouches, according to court papers reviewed by Reuters. Lawyers say the case could set a precedent on how India regulates sales at such outlets and a government win could block sales of one of the world's fastest-growing nicotine products in ​India's airports.
India banned e-cigarettes and approved certain nicotine replacements like patches and chewing gums following a registration process under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. ​Nicotine pouches remain illegal and unapproved.
Tobacco kills 1.35 million people each year in India and a government study in June called ⁠nicotine pouches "a new and largely unregulated public health concern," with widespread illegal sales and consumption among people aged 18 to 40.
After receiving complaints from anti-nicotine group ​Mothers Against Vaping, India's drug department inspected duty-free shops at Mumbai's international airport in March and found imported nicotine pouches were being sold in the departure zone without ​the necessary approvals, government documents show.
Mumbai Travel Retail, a joint venture led by Adani with Dubai's Flemingo, was asked to discontinue sales of nicotine pouches and seek ​approvals, government letters show.

-Reuters