Raids by police and administration during the past one month have unearthed several large scale gutka manufacturing units in and around Berhampur in Odisha.
According to police sources, huge quantity of stored gutka, raw materials as well as machinery used for packaging seized from these illegal units was worth over Rs.3 crore. Till now four illegal gutka manufacturing and storage units have been unearthed.
It may be noted that since January 1, 2013, the Odisha government has banned manufacture and sale of tobacco-laced gutka in the State.
On early Friday morning, one illegal gutka manufacturing unit at Ramchandrapur under Berhampur Sadar police station was raided.
Three hundred gunny bags filled with gutka pouches, machinery used to manufacture them as well as raw materials were seized from the spot. Seized goods were said to be worth over Rs.2 crore.
On January 18, the police had busted a gutka manufacturing unit at Bhutapalli on the outskirts of the city. Three persons were arrested and goods worth Rs.1 crore were seized.
