MAYILADUTHURAI: A truck bearing a fake ‘Vegetable Emergency’ sticker but carrying banned tobacco products smuggled from Madurai to Mayiladuthurai was stopped near Mayiladuthurai and its contents seized on Sunday. The banned tobacco items have been valued at several lakh of rupees.
“The truck seemingly bypassed police and check posts on the way and had come to Mayiladuthurai. Police maintaining lockdown in the districts in between may have allowed the vehicle through after seeing the fake sticker. We are investigating to find the sender and receiver of the consignment,” said an investigating officer.
The driver has been identified as R Pooranajyothi (32) from Melur in Madurai district. Police stopped the truck around 5.30 am on Sunday.They checked the consignment, which revealed 60 sacks containing 1.8 lakh sachets of banned tobacco. The vehicle was taken to Kuthalam police station and the driver arrested.
A case has been registered in Kuthalam police station under Sections 273 (sale of harmful food or drink) and 328 (causing hurt using poison) of the IPC. The driver has been remanded in judicial custody. Further investigations are underway.