In a raid conducted on a godown in south Mumbai, the Mumbai Police on Saturday seized banned gutkha and paan masala products worth Rs 1.22 crore.
Acting on a tipoff, the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) team headed by Sachin Waze, raided the premises at Nagpada’s Bhendi Bazar locality in south Mumbai and seized a huge stockpile of banned gutkha and paan masala.
Two persons, arrested in connection with the seizure, were produced before a Sewri Magistrate Court which remanded them in police custody till Monday.
“The CIU has registered offences against the manufacturers, suppliers, stockists and sellers of the contraband stuff and further probe is underway by the Nagpada Police Station,” Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Milind Bharambe said.
Being one of the first states to prohibit consumption of gutka and other tobacco products, Maharashtra had banned manufacture, sale and consumption of gutka, paan masala containing tobacco and certain other flavoured products in July 2012. Subsequently, 14 other states in the country followed suit and banned the sale and consumption of gutka and other tobacco products.