TIRUCHY: Steps taken by the State government to curb the sale and movement of gutka and other banned products have yielded a positive result in Tiruchy district, Superintendent of Police Sujit Kumar said. "The special drive being organised by the police has helped in identifying shops and distributors involved in illegal transportation and sale of such products.
Hefty fine is being levied on shops selling such harmful products. This has led to a significant drop in the number of shops selling the products. The shops which continue to sell banned products repeatedly, after being fined twice, will be shut down," Kumar said.
A step taken by the Madurai police recently is being initiated in Tiruchy. Movable and immovable assets of habitual offenders involved in peddling of banned products will be attached, he said. "The assets will be attached only if the offender is booked under NDPS Act for possessing such products in commercial quantity (intended for sale and distribution).
Such a step was taken in the recent gutka case in Madurai, where bank accounts of offenders were frozen," Kumar said. Speaking about ganja peddling in the district, Kumar said, "As of now, we have identified three persons for possessing and distributing more than 20 kg of ganja and other banned products in Tiruchy district. Steps are being taken to attach their property."
A special team has been set up to nab the offenders, Kumar said, adding that the drive will successfully eradicate the circulation and sale of banned products within a year. With stringent measures in place to curb the inflow and supply of gutka and other banned products, the police will soon weed out all those involved in the trade, Kumar added. Expressing confidence about the drive, another police official in Tiruchy said the department has caught several offenders red-handed in recent days.