26-year-old held with banned tobacco products worth Rs 3.87 lakh in Navi Mumbai

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The police in Navi Mumbai have arrested a 26-year-old man for the alleged possession of banned tobacco products worth Rs 3.87 lakh, an officer said on Wednesday.

During the routine patrolling early on Tuesday, the Navi Mumbai Police spotted a car near a bridge in Vashi and conducted a search of the vehicle, news agency PTI reported. During the search, the police found a large quantity of banned tobacco products in the vehicle and seized them, the officer from Vashi police station in Navi Mumbai said.

The car occupant, who hails from Bandra in Mumbai, was arrested and booked under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, the officer said.

The police said they were investigating the source of the contraband and its intended destination, the officer added.

Last month, the police seized banned gutka and tobacco products, worth Rs 6.41 lakh, in Thane and arrested a 34-year-old man in connection with it, PTI reported.

Acting on a tip, a police team raided the residence of the accused in the Rabodi area and seized the stock of different brands of gutka and tobacco items, an officer said.

A first information report (FIR) was registered against the accused under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and FDA regulations, the officer from Rabodi police station added.

The sale and consumption of gutka, scented and flavoured tobacco has been banned in Maharashtra.

In another case, earlier in April, the Thane Police in Maharashtra have seized gutka worth nearly Rs 50 lakh from a truck and arrested its driver, an official said, reported PTI.

According to the PTI, the government has prohibited the manufacturing, sale and distribution of gutka in the state over health concerns.

The Narpoli police intercepted a truck on Dapoda Road in the Bhiwandi area and found it to be loaded with gutka of various brands, collectively valued at nearly Rs 50 lakh, the official said, reported PTI.

The consignment and the truck were seized and the driver, Ajaykumar Shaympal Singh (28), was arrested, he said, adding that they are trying to ascertain the origin of the consignment and its destination.

(With PTI inputs)