Railway vigilance officials seized around 320 kg of tobacco, pan masala and gutka products worth approximately Rs 1.7 lakh from a passenger travelling on the Bandra Terminus-Ajmer Superfast Express during a surprise inspection at Mumbai's Borivali railway station, officials said on Thursday.
The vigilance check was conducted on Platform No. 8 at Borivali station after Train No. 12996 Bandra Terminus-Ajmer Superfast Express arrived on Wednesday. During the operation, officials detected the illegal transportation of prohibited tobacco products from Coach S-2.
A 26-year-old man, identified as Anil Shankar Nagda, was apprehended during the inspection. Officials found him allegedly transporting the contraband in five bags.
During the search, the vigilance team recovered 1,040 packets of tobacco, pan masala and gutka products of various brands, weighing approximately 320 kg and valued at around Rs 1.7 lakh at the maximum retail price (MRP).
The accused, along with the seized consignment, was handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP), Borivali, for further legal action.
A case has been registered against him under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with a Section under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, under FIR/CR No. 721 dated July 29, 2026.
Officials said further investigation is underway to ascertain the source and intended destination of the seized consignment.
Palghar police seize banned tobacco items worth Rs 14 lakh; four arrested
In a similar incident earlier this month, the Palghar police seized banned tobacco products worth nearly Rs 14 lakh and arrested four persons in connection with the smuggling racket.
In four separate operations conducted along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway, the police also impounded four vehicles valued at Rs 24.5 lakh. The operations were carried out following specific intelligence inputs about the illegal transportation of banned tobacco products.
Police Speak
“Acting on intelligence from our informants, police teams intensified patrolling along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway. This led to four successful raids against the illegal transportation of tobacco products,” Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh said. Two cases were registered at Talasari police station, while one case each was filed at Manor and Kasa police stations, said the SP.
Accused booked
Police identified the accused as Yashwant Jayram Singh, a resident of Powai; Salim Istyakali Shah, 33; and Abdulnaeem Ansari, 26, both residents of Govandi.
The police also apprehended a juvenile. Cases have been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
0 Comments