Police in Maharashtra`s Thane district have seized banned tobacco products worth Rs 5 lakh from a tempo and arrested two persons, an official said on Saturday, reported news agency PTI.

A team from the local crime branch intercepted the tempo at Vadpe Naka in Bhiwandi on September 17, and on inspection, found the contraband, senior inspector Suresh Manore said, reported PTI.

The accused, Shivaji Ramkishan Gupta (26) and Shashikant Shrimuni Gupta (20), who were transporting the contraband from Nashik, were arrested, reported PTI.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the official said. 

Hashish worth Rs 1.1 cr seized in Thane district; one held

Meanwhile, a 29-year-old man has been arrested for alleged possession of more than 1 kg of hashish worth Rs 1.1 crore in Maharashtra`s Thane district, police said on Saturday, reported PTI.

Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotics squad laid a trap on the Shilphata-Mumbra Road on September 14 and intercepted the accused, Masud Badbuddin Ainarkar, senior inspector Rahul Maske said, reported PTI.

He said Ainarkar, a native of Ratnagiri, was found with the contraband, allegedly meant for sale.

A case was registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and he has been remanded in police custody till September 23, he said, reported PTI.

“Preliminary investigations suggest that the hashish may have been smuggled from abroad. The accused is being interrogated to determine the source and intended distribution network,” the official added.

Customs seizes hydroponic weed worth Rs 20 crore at Mumbai airport

In another case, Mumbai Customs has seized hydroponic weed worth Rs 20 crore and foreign currency worth Rs 26.37 lakh in three separate cases at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), an official said on Friday, reported PTI.

The seizures and arrests were made on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, an official said.

In the first case, a passenger going to Bangkok from Mumbai was intercepted, and foreign currency concealed in his checked-in trolley bag was recovered.

In the other two cases, the baggage of two passengers who had arrived from Bangkok was searched, leading to the seizure of hydroponic weed (a form of marijuana) worth Rs 20.062 crore, the official said, reported PTI.

As much as 9.98 kg of hydroponic weed was seized from the first passenger, and 10.08 kg of the narcotic drug from the other, reported PTI.

Both the passengers were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the official said. 

(With inputs from PTI)

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