The Chennai police on Friday, May 10, 2024, arrested three men who allegedly smuggled banned tobacco products from Karnataka into Chennai, for distribution and sale.
Following a tip-off, a police team led by the Inspector of the Anna Salai police station, intercepted three cars on Thursday (May 9) night while conducting routine vehicle checks near the Tower Clock in Royappettah. The drivers of vehicles gave evasive replies, and so the police searched the vehicles and found packets of banned tobacco products such as gutkha and mava.
Accordingly, the police team arrested S. Dinesh, 27, of Thiruvottiyur, Madhusudhan Jhankit, 25, of Pali district, Rajasthan and Rajendra Parrikar, 29, of Keezha Kottaiyur, Chennai for illegally smuggling tobacco packets. In total, banned tobacco products weighing 764 kg, worth ₹5.45 lakh were seized from them, police said.
