The police on Thursday busted a motorcycle-lifting racket and arrested two persons and recovered 18 two-wheelers worth Rs.7 lakh. The arrested were identified as Mohamed Yusuf (38) of Mettupalayam and Suresh alias Vijaya Rasu (40) of Thirukkanur.
Senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Ranjan said Mohamed Yusuf who was riding a motorcycle tried to flee when a police team intercepted him on suspicion. The accused who did not have documents of the vehicle confessed that he had stolen it.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Yusuf had stolen seven more motorcycles in Grand Bazaar and Odiansalai police station limits. In another incident, the police arrested a 40-year-old man during a vehicle check on the 100-feet Road in Mudaliarpet and recovered 10 stolen motorcycles from him. Acting on a tip-off, that a vehicle thief was planning to sell a stolen bike in Mudaliarpet, the police intercepted Suresh of Thirukkanur.
Meanwhile, continuing with their crackdown on sale of tobacco products, the police have arrested three wholesale dealers of banned tobacco products and seized gutkha and pan masala worth Rs.1 lakh.
The arrested have been identified as B. Jeetmel (45), Mohamed Ibrahim (38) and S. Venkatesan. Cases have been registered against them under the provisions of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 and Section 188 of Indian Penal Code.
