In a major crackdown against gutkha smugglers, the police seized nearly 2,000 kg gutkha in the city and suburbs in the last two days.
The banned tobacco products seized
Chennai:
A huge haul of about 1,000 kg was seized from a warehouse in Manapakkam by a special team led by Additional Commissioner (North) A Arun. On Sunday, the Ennore police arrested a petty shop owner for selling banned tobacco and based on his inputs, one Vipin Kumar Pandey of Kodungaiyur was secured. The police then made a decoy call to a person in Bihar and ordered five gunny bags of jarda. The man who delivered the consignment was caught and he took the police to a warehouse in Manapakkam. Gutkha weighing 150 kg, jarda tobacco of 850 kg and an autorickshaw was seized. All three were remanded in judicial custody.
Similarly, the Tirumullaivoyal police seized 200 kg of gutkha products and arrested two men. Based on a tip-off, the police raided the house of one Dhanraj and seized 50 kg banned tobacco products. Another 150 kg was seized from his vehicle and driver Marimithu was also arrested. The police said that Dhanraj had already been arrested twice earlier for smuggling gutkha products. They were remanded in judicial custody.
The Neelankarai police, too, arrested two persons -- S Chithiraikumar (21) and S Selvaraj (46) of Vettuvankani -- and seized 106 kg ganja and Rs 48,750 in cash from them.
In another major haul, the Sholavaram police seized about 600 kg gutkha products in Nallur and arrested two persons -- Balakumaran (35) and Mageshwaran (32). A minivan was also seized from them and the accused were remanded.