Two shops sealed for selling banned tobacco products in Trichy

TRICHY: The food safety department officials have sealed two shops in Gandhi market and Chathiram bus stand localities in Trichy city for selling the banned tobacco products. The enforcement was carried out after the shops were repeating the offence.
The commercial establishments were identified as Sakthi tea stall near Gandhi market and Arabjohn petty shop near Chathiram bus stand.
The two stalls earlier were caught by the food safety department for selling banned tobacco such as gutka and paid a penalty of Rs 5,000 each.
Meanwhile, in a surprise inspection conducted in both stalls in May 2022, the food safety officials yet again found that the outlets clandestinely selling the banned tobacco products. Subsequently, a penalty of Rs 10,000 was levied on each.
The designated food safety office of Trichy district, Dr R Ramesh Babu requested the commissioner of the food safety department, Dr P Senthilkumar, to permit the lock and seal action since the offence was repeated.
As the request was sanctioned by the senior official recently, the food safety department officials locked and sealed the two shops.
So far, in the Trichy district, over 20 shops have been sealed.