Rs 17.5 lakh gutka being smuggled from Gujarat to Mumbai seized; 1 held

Palghar, Oct 7 (PTI) Police here 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.

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.

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

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.

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