An official on Thursday said that the police have seized the banned gutka valued at Rs 8.42 lakh from a tempo and arrested its driver in Maharashtra`s Thane district, reported news agency PTI.
The tempo was spotted on Tuesday evening opposite the Karivali police chowkie in the Bhiwandi area.
During checking of the vehicle, the police found gutka being transported in it, the official from Bhoiwada police station said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI.
The gutka was seized and the vehicle was impounded.
The 39-year-old tempo driver was arrested, the official said.
During interrogation, the driver told the police that a man from Gaibibi Nagar had ordered the stock, the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI.
A case was registered on Wednesday against the accused under relevant legal provisions, the police added.
Gutka valued at over Rs 32 lakh seized; one held
In November, the police seized gutka valued at over Rs 32 lakh in Maharashtra`s Thane district and arrested one of the four persons transporting the banned substance.
Acting on inputs, police intercepted two tempos near the Soma Nagar locality of Bhiwandi. The vehicles were loaded with cartons of gutka, the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported news agency PTI.
Gutka, which contains tobacco and other harmful products and can cause cancer, is banned in Maharashtra.
While police were carrying out an inspection, three persons, including the driver of one of the tempos, escaped from the spot. Police arrested the driver of the other tampo and identified him as Ankit Rajendra Pal (26), the official said while sharing an update on the Thane crime, reported PTI.
The seized gutka is worth over Rs 32 lakh, said Assistant Inspector S B Mahale of Bhoiwada police station, adding that a probe is underway to ascertain the source of the consignment and its intended destination.
Rs 58.6 lakh gutka seized from tempo; driver held
Last month, the police seized the banned gutka valued at Rs 58.68 lakh from a tempo and arrested its driver in Maharashtra`s Thane district, an official said.
Acting on a tip, the police raided a premises at the ration office compound in Bhiwandi area. They found the tempo with gutka of various brands stocked in it, the official from Nizampura police station said.
The 35-year-old tempo driver was arrested and after his questioning, the police came to know about three others involved in the illegal gutka trade, he said, adding that efforts were on to nab them, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
