Crackdown on gutka, tobacco sale

The Task Force police have seized packets of tobacco and other prohibited products worth ₹7 lakh following a raid on a general store here late on Saturday night.

Store owner Brahadevara Raju, a resident of Inavolu village, confessed to have bought gutka and tobacco products from Beedar, said city police commissioner V. Ravinder. He later sold them to Kouda Nagaraju of Jafargadh, Narishetti Harish of Venkatapur, Zafarghad, Pula Ramesh of Ayodyapuram, Madikonda, Ankam Sridar of Kareemabad, Warangal, and Yada Ganesh of Garmillapally, Zafarghad.

Police raided houses of the other accused and seized Amber tobacco, XXX Power gutka, Goa gutka and Jodabyle gutka worth ₹7.39 lakh, a Maruti 800 car and an auto worth ₹1.5 lakh.