Palghar: illegal tobacco products worth Rs 15.6 lakh seized; one held

Representational Image

Police in Palghar district of Maharashtra have seized illegal tobacco products worth more than Rs 15 lakh and have arrested one individual, an official said on Friday, PTI reported.

The seizure was made in the Talasari area on Wednesday, he said, PTI cited.

A patrolling team on suspicion of transportation of illegal substances checked a tempo parked on a service road along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway and found banned tobacco products, said Palghar Rural Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil.

The tobacco products are worth Rs 15.66 lakh, he said, adding that police seized the tempo and took the tempo driver into custody.

Last month, police arrested a 22-year-old tempo driver after seizing the banned gutka and tobacco products valued at Rs 5.32 lakh from his vehicle in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI.

A police team spotted the tempo on K B Road in the Ambernath area on October 6 and intercepted it based on suspicion.

During a search, the police found the banned gutka, tobacco products in the vehicle, the official said.

The police enquired with the tempo driver, who could not give a satisfactory reply about the banned goods following which he was arrested.

A case was registered against the driver under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the FDA regulations, the official said, reported PTI.

The police were trying to find out the source of the goods and to whom the accused planned to sell them, he added.

Two held in Thane with banned gutka, tobacco products of Rs 9 lakh

In September, police arrested two individuals after seizing banned gutka and tobacco products valued at Rs 9.04 lakh in Maharashtra's Thane district, PTI reported.

Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Kalyan Crime Branch unit conducted a raid at a shop in the Shil-Phata area on the night of September 20.

The team seized the contraband stock, which included various brands of gutka and tobacco products intended for sale and distribution, a police spokesperson said, reported PTI.

Two persons, both aged 29 and residents of Mumbra and Shil-Phata area, were arrested after the raid, reported PTI.

They were booked under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections, including 123 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc, with intent to commit an offence), 275 (sale of noxious food or drink) and 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and relevant FDA regulations, the police said while sharing an update on the Thane crime.

Authorities are still investigating where the accused procured the banned goods.

(With inputs from PTI)