Sleuths of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) have arrested 15 people on the charge of illegally running hookah bars in three separate raids in Sudduguntepalya, VV Puram and Basavanagudi. Police have seized materials used in the bars.

The CCB police raided ‘Baristo Brew’ on Hosur Road at Sudduguntepalya and arrested Pankaj Agarwal, a native of Tamil Nadu, Mohan Krishna of Hyderabad, Wunganing Horam and Mashangam M K, both from Manipur, and Pitoka and Awoto, from Nagaland.

In a similar operation, police raided ‘Hide Out’ in Basavanagudi and arrested Deepak, a resident of Mysuru Road, and Islamuddin, a native of Assam.

In VV Puram, the sleuths raided ‘Steaming Mugs’ on RV Road and arrested seven people - Subhash Singh, Ningthoukhong, Suan Lam Thang Manlun, Thok Chom Sunilkumar Singh, all from Manipur, Kuber Dose Subba, from Nagaland, and Mehul Durgani and Aniketh, residents of Chickpet and Hanumanthnagar, respectively.

Police said the suspects operated bars near schools and colleges and entertained minors to smoke.