CHENNAI: TN police have cracked six major gutkha cases and seized nearly 12,000 kg of banned tobacco products in the past one month, a release from Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal said on Saturday.
These include 490 kg seized at Attur in Salem on August 10, 273 kg seized from a car at Krishnagiri toll plaza on August 26, 362 kg seized from a car in Dharmapuri on September 2, 698 kg seized from a mini lorry in Salem on September 3, 406 kg seized from a four-wheeler in Salem on September 10 and the 10,000 kg confiscated by Avadi commissionerate in August.
In the Avadi case, the kingpin was arrested, the release said, adding that the Karnataka-TN route has been identified as a key route.
Statistics from the DGP office show that from November 19 last year to September 14 this year, police have seized 209 tonnes of banned tobacco products and registered 21,761 cases against those involved. Simultaneously, officers of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department had imposed and collected a fine of Rs 17.02 crore and sealed 10,155 premises or shops in these cases.
In addition, joint raids were conducted by special teams of police and food safety officials across the state during the same period during which 132.89 tonnes of tobacco products worth Rs 10.9 crore were seized. In total, 9924 shops were sealed after these raids.
People can report the sale of these banned products through toll free helpline number 10581 or through whatsapp number 9498110581 and email spnibcid@gmail.com.