Police have seized banned gutka and other tobacco items valued at Rs 16.5 lakh and concealed within cloth bundles in a tempo and arrested one person in this connection in Maharashtra`s Thane city, officials said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI.
A police officer noticed the tempo moving suspiciously near Nagla Bunder on Ghodbunder Road in the wee hours of October 30 and stopped it for inspection, reported PTI.
When questioned about the consignment, the driver gave evasive answers, prompting a detailed search.
“Upon checking, the tempo was found to be loaded with 130 cloth bundles. A further inspection revealed that banned tobacco and gutka packets were concealed inside some of these bundles,” the police said in the statement, reported PTI.
The products were seized and the tempo driver, a resident of Virar in neighbouring Palghar district, was arrested, they said, reported PTI.
A case was registered against the tempo driver under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act.
“We are probing the supply network and possible involvement of others in the racket,” a police official said.
Gutka, banned tobacco products worth Rs 46 lakh seized in Thane
The police have seized gutka and banned tobacco products valued at nearly Rs 46 lakh in Maharashtra`s Thane city, an official said on October 26, reported news agency PTI.
Acting on a tip-off about the sale of the contraband from a residential property in the Kasarwadavali area, the police raided the premises on October 21, he said.
The cops seized various brands of banned gutka and tobacco products, valued at about Rs 46 lakh, and booked two persons, identified as Nilesh Chalwade (35) and Satyaban Behra (32), reported PTI.
A case has been registered against Chalwade and Behra under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Act, reported PTI.
The police are trying to determine the source of the gutka and the distribution network of the accused persons, the official added.
Three held with Rs 6 lakh gutka, banned tobacco products in Palghar district
In another case, three persons were arrested after the police in Maharashtra`s Palghar district recovered gutka and banned tobacco products valued at Rs 6 lakh from them, reported news agency PTI.
Acting on inputs, the local crime branch on August 28 searched a tempo parked near a dhaba in the Talasari area.
Gutka and other tobacco products worth Rs 6 lakh were found in the vehicle. Three occupants of the tempo were arrested, the official said.
“A probe is underway to ascertain from where the banned goods were procured and to where they were being transported,” the police said in a release, reported PTI.
The trio has been identified as Mohammad Arjab Jamirul Haq (22), and Dilshad Shamshad Ali (20), both drivers hailing from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Nenaram Chabhuji Gujar (48), a businessman from Rajsamand, Rajasthan, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
