COIMBATORE: The police and food safety department are continuing their crackdown on the sale of banned tobacco products in the district by setting monthly targets. However, they face a significant challenge as sellers have shifted to a token-based system to avoid detection during raids.
Frequent buyers purchase tokens that allow them to get contraband from locations where sellers store large quantities of banned tobacco products. Despite its discreet nature, the contraband remains accessible to regular buyers.
Officials from the food safety department and police have been taking measures, both individually and in collaboration, against the sale of banned tobacco products since 2023. In Coimbatore, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and police joined hands to curb the sale of banned tobacco products, particularly gutka.
Shops found selling banned tobacco products are sealed for 15 days and fined Rs 25,000 for a first-time offence. In case of a second offence, the punishment is increased to 30 days of closure and a Rs 50,000 as a penalty. For a third offence, the shop is closed for 90 days and the owner is penalised Rs 1 lakh. The food safety department has specifically targeted shops operating close to schools and colleges.
Given its seriousness, the food safety department is placing additional focus on this matter, particularly on smokeless tobacco products (SLT).
A food safety officer (FSO) from Coimbatore rural said that earlier, there were many preventive measures taken to curb the sale of illegal tobacco products, such as seizures, but this happens rarely now. While use of such tobacco products has not decreased, they have found creative means to sell them, which makes nabbing them difficult, he said.
"We have a target of conducting two individual raids and two joint raids against the sale of banned tobacco products each month. But currently, we are not able to detect the sale of tobacco products in most places as traders have employed new strategies," the FSO added.
"Even those doing retail business have now started selling tobacco products using tokens. They ask regular customers to come and collect them at a specific time and place by providing them with tokens. In these places, when more than 10 customers gather, they distribute them directly. Since the practice of doing business in shops is being avoided, we are not able to detect it," the officer said.
The Designated Officer of FSSAI Coimbatore, Dr T Anuradha, admits to the issue and said they sought local police support to identify the hideouts where the illegal business is being conducted. "FSOs face a practical difficulty in detecting banned tobacco product sales. However, they are tracing it with the support of police and other informants," she said.