The Thoothukudi district police have seized 850 kg of banned tobacco products and arrested four persons, including three from Bengaluru, suspected to be the largest suppliers to a network of agents in southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
ASP G. Chandeesh, whose special team of police officers tracked the gang, said on Sunday that they had nabbed the accused and their two vehicles at Deivaseyalpuram on Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli highway, when it was proceeding to deliver goods in Thoothukudi from Bengaluru.
The modus operandi of the gang was to procure the tobacco goods and bring them into the State in private vehicles and sell them to their “contacts” in southern districts including Madurai, Rajapalayam, Sattur, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and other locations.
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Based on their confession, the police seized ₹3.70 lakh in cash from the accused, who were identified as P Kalimuthu, 34, of Radhapuram, Tirunelveli, J Arulraj, 36, of Soudeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru, V. Selva, 35, of RKS Nagar Bengaluru and J. Vaseem, 34, of Patarayanpura Bengaluru.
Another officer said the goods were valued at ₹20 lakh. The accused were booked under IPC Section 328 (selling goods, which are injurious to health) among others. The special team was commended by Thoothukudi SP L Balaji Saravanan.
When contacted, Inspector General of Police (south zone) Asra Garg said the police intensified vigil across the zone and check posts too were alert. Plain clothes personnel would keep a close watch on suspects who sell banned goods near educational institutions and other specific locations.
Shops found selling the banned products were sealed as per the Food Safety and Standards Regulations Act 2011. In the last one week, 275 cases were booked in 10 districts in south zone, Mr Garg said.
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