Thane: Gutka, banned tobacco products worth Rs 9.96 lakh smuggled in consignments marked as clothes

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Gutka and banned tobacco products worth Rs 9.96 lakh were smuggled in consignments marked as clothes in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

The matter came to light when an alert godown owner in Bhiwandi received a suspicious consignment from a transporter and he alerted the local police, assistant police inspector Somnath Karnavar-Patil of the Narpoli police station said, reported PTI.

On inspection, the police recovered banned gutka and tobacco products worth Rs 9.96 lakh from boxes marked as clothes. The goods had arrived between October 29 and November 1, he said, reported PTI.

The alleged accused packed the banned goods in cartons marked as clothes and showed the consignment as clothing in the tax invoice as well, the official said, adding that the consignment arrived from Surat in neighbouring Gujarat, reported PTI.

An offence has been registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Food Security and Standards Act, FDA regulations, Food Safety & Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations and Food Safety & Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations Act, he said, reported PTI.

Earlier on October 22, police in Navi Mumbai township confiscated prohibited gutka and tobacco products valued at Rs 7.39 lakhs, following a raid conducted in an Airoli apartment around 1 am. An official from the Rabale police station reported the arrest of one individual in connection with the operation.

Subsequent to the raid, law enforcement authorities confiscated an assortment of gutka and tobacco products from various brands. A case was registered against the accused, invoking provisions of the Indian Penal Code and regulations set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Authorities are actively investigating the origins of the seized stock, seeking to ascertain the source. Notably, the sale and consumption of gutka, scented, and flavoured tobacco has remained prohibited in Maharashtra since 2012.

In another recent incident, police in Mumbai seized nearly Rs 16 lakh worth of gutka, a banned product, from a tempo and apprehended one individual in connection with the case, according to an official. Acting on a tip-off, the police established an operation and intercepted the tempo at Pramila Nagar in the Dahisar area, as reported by the official from the MHB police station.

The police successfully confiscated the illegal gutka and arrested a 31-year-old man, with the vehicle being impounded, the official mentioned. Additionally, efforts are underway to locate three other associates linked to the accused, the official noted.

The arrested individual has a history of multiple criminal cases. In the present case, the accused has been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 328 (causing harm by administering poison with intent to commit an offence), along with provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, as per the police statement.

It's important to note that the sale and consumption of gutka, scented, and flavoured tobacco has been prohibited in Maharashtra since 2012.

(With inputs from PTI)