Police have seized the banned gutka valued at Rs 17.53 lakh while it was being smuggled from Gujarat to Mumbai in a truck and arrested one person in this connection, an official said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI.

Acting on a tip-off, the local crime branch intercepted the truck at Manor on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in Maharashtra`s Palghar district on October 4, a police release said, reported PTI.

The police seized scented pan masala (gutka) valued at 17,53,488 and impounded the vehicle, the release said, reported PTI.

The vehicle`s driver, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and a resident of Bhiwandi in neighbouring Thane district, was arrested, it said.

A case was registered against him under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act, the police said, reported PTI.

The police were trying to find out the source of the contraband and its intended receiver.

Three held with Rs 6 lakh gutka, banned tobacco products in Palghar district

Three persons were arrested after the police in Maharashtra`s Palghar district recovered gutka and banned tobacco products valued at Rs 6 lakh from them, reported news agency PTI.

Acting on inputs, the local crime branch on August 28 searched a tempo parked near a dhaba in the Talasari area.

Gutka and other tobacco products worth Rs 6 lakh were found in the vehicle. Three occupants of the tempo were arrested, the official said.

“A probe is underway to ascertain from where the banned goods were procured and to where they were being transported,” the police said in a release, reported PTI.

The trio has been identified as Mohammad Arjab Jamirul Haq (22), and Dilshad Shamshad Ali (20), both drivers hailing from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Nenaram Chabhuji Gujar (48), a businessman from Rajsamand, Rajasthan, reported PTI.

Two truck drivers held with gutka consignments valued at Rs 1.23 cr in Palghar

Meanwhile, the police seized consignments of banned gutka, valued at Rs 1.23 crore, from two trucks on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar district and arrested two drivers, an official said, reported news agency PTI.

“The banned tobacco products were concealed inside two containers and were being transported in violation of state laws and food safety regulations. The estimated value of the seized gutka is Rs 1.23 crore,” the Talasari police station officer told PTI.

He stated that the seizure was made during patrolling at Vikaspada in Talasar.

The drivers were arrested under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations and the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)

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