COIMBATORE: Coimbatore City and District Police on Friday launched a drive against banned tobacco products across the district and registered cases against 61 shops.
In the city limits, 40 persons were arrested, and their shops were sealed, while in the district (rural) limits, 21 shops faced legal action for allegedly selling banned tobacco products.
In the city, police said they raided around 213 locations on Friday, and a total of 53.536 kg of contraband was seized, and recommendations have been made to seal the shops.
Intensive inspections were carried out across Coimbatore during the past 24 hours, resulting in the registration of 21 cases relating to banned tobacco products. Legal action is being initiated against persons involved in the illegal sale and storage of such products.
Giving details of the action taken this year, rural police said they have seized 9,757.838 kg of banned tobacco products and arrested 725 persons involved in the illegal trade. A total of 697 cases have been registered so far this year.
Apart from police action, as many as 234 shops have been sealed by the Food Safety Department in coordination with the police department.