The Aluva special police on Sunday seized various brands of banned pan masala worth approximately Rs 50,000 from a shop here.
The police team raided the store at Aluva and arrested Muhammed Iqbal of Manappuram lane, Thottakkattukara with the pan masala. The police have registered a case against the accused.
The raid was part of the ongoing efforts to curb the sale of tobacco products in the district. Aluva Circle Inspector said it is the third time that the police squad arresting him from the same office.
According to the police, the banned pan masala products are brought through private buses from Bangalore. The accused distributed it to the retail traders.
It was the arrest of the small scale traders that led to the arrest of Iqbal who is the wholesale trader of banned tobacco products in Aluva area, the police said.