Nashik: Gutka worth Rs 40 lakh, truck seized; driver held

NASHIK: The crime branch unit 2 on Tuesday seized gutka worth Rs 40 lakh from a truck and arrested the driver while he was passing through the city limits. Police have also seized the truck worth Rs 15 lakh.
Police found huge boxes and packets of gutka from the truck. They immediately informed the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) about the seizure.
The crime branch unit 2 authorities said that the said action was undertaken on the directives of commissioner of police Vishwas Nangare-Patil.
The action was taken after the crime branch unit 2 personnel received a tip-off that a truck carrying huge quantity of gutka was proceeding towards the Trimurti Chowk area from Untawadi. Acting on the information, police immediately swung into action, laid a trap and intercepted the truck in the said area.
Police said that the truck driver hails from Uttar Pradesh. During questioning, the truck driver failed to produce the challan of the goods he was carrying. He also told police that the truck was loaded in Chikhli in Gujarat on Monday.
He told police that the concerned person who had given him the consignment was supposed to inform him the exact address for delivery of the goods.
The crime branch officials said that the suspect has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Food Safety Standards Act.
FDA officials said that Pan Masala has been banned in Maharashtra. However, the product is still being sold and bought in other states. Therefore, it becomes difficult to track smugglers bringing the banned product into the state.
In Nashik, police and FDA officials often rely on tip-offs to take action against illegal smuggling of the product.
Officials said that they are constantly taking action against those selling and buying the banned product. However, pan masala and scented tobacco is still sold in various parts of the city and the district discreetly, said officials.