Police have seized banned tobacco products and paan masala worth Rs 49.24 lakh from a tempo in Maharashtra's Palghar district and arrested the vehicle's driver, officials said on Wednesday.
The seizure was made on Monday after police received a tip-off about the transportation of prohibited products along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway near the Maharashtra-Gujarat border.
Police intercept tempo on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway
According to officials, police intercepted the tempo during an operation based on the information received. The vehicle was travelling along the highway near the state border when officers stopped it for inspection.
During the initial check, the front portion of the tempo appeared to be carrying electrical goods. However, a more detailed inspection revealed that the vehicle was also being used to transport a large consignment of prohibited tobacco products.
Banned products concealed behind electrical goods
Police found saffron-laced paan masala and tobacco products concealed behind the electrical goods, Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh said.
The products are prohibited in Maharashtra under applicable restrictions on the sale and distribution of gutka and related tobacco products. Officials seized the entire consignment, which was valued at Rs 49,24,800.
The tempo was also impounded as part of the investigation. Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the transportation of the goods and the source of the consignment.
Driver arrested in connection with seizure
The tempo's driver, Rinku Naresh Yadav, 30, a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, was taken into custody, Deshmukh said.
Police have not disclosed further details about the intended destination of the seized products or the people who may have been involved in supplying them.
Case registered under relevant laws
A case has been registered against the driver under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Food Safety and Standards Act, officials said.
The investigation is expected to establish the origin of the consignment, its intended recipients and whether other individuals were involved in transporting the prohibited products.
Probe continues into tobacco transportation
The seizure comes amid enforcement action against the movement and sale of prohibited tobacco products in Maharashtra. Such operations aim to prevent restricted products from entering the state's supply chain and reaching retailers and consumers.
(With inputs from PTI)
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