Tempo transporting banned Gutkha seized in Thane

THANE: The anti extortion cell of Thane crime branch arrested one person with a tempo filled with 60 gunny bags of banned Gutkha whose market price is pegged Rs 22 lakh and printed price is Rs 9 lakh.
The police said that this is perhaps one of the biggest haul found ferrying during the pandemic in Thane city.
The accused has been identified as Amjad Shaikh, 32, a resident of Vapi in Gujarat, said Rajkumar Kothmire, senior inspector.
The officer said that on Friday evening, they got a tip-off that a tempo laden with the Gutkha of various brands will be passing through Thane and which has been transported from Gujarat.
Hence, when the police intercepted the tempo near Kapurbawdi upon carrying out the search, the police found the 60 gunny bags stashed with various brands of Gutkha.
The police said that this consignment was to be delivered to one Govandi or Mumbai based man and other links of the racket are under probe, Kothmire informed TOI.
The police said that Gutkha has a big black market and in the pandemic too,hence during the unlock, the transporters are sneaking through various routes and reaching out to their destinations. The police said that the rate of a small sachet has peaked in the black market during lockdown.
A case has been registered under section 328, 188, 272, 273 of the Indian Penal Code at Kapurbawdi police station.