DINDIGUL
At least 19 shops found to be selling banned tobacco goods were sealed in Dindigul district, said Superintendent of Police V Baskaran here on Thursday.
He told reporters that their and food safety authority teams had checked various places including Palani, Dindigul, Vedasandur and Natham. The police booked 179 cases this year and seized 7000 kg of goods worth Rs. 41.28 lakh. As many as 37 shops were fined Rs 5,000 each.
The SP warned that habitual offenders would not be spared and shopkeepers have been adequately sensitised. Public can inform the police and details would be kept confidential, officers in the Food Safety Department said and added that the punishment would be severe as per the laws and the accused would have to serve jail term of over 7 years.
Meanwhile, the police teams in Palani said that they had sealed 11 shops in and around Adivaram and at nearby locations for selling banned tobacco goods.
Inspector General of Police (south zone) Asra Garg had in a recent interaction with the media persons said that they had formed special cells in all the 10 districts across the south zone to monitor suspects figuring in such crimes of selling tobacco and narcotics. The police personnel would be closely watching public places including educational institutions.
