Nanded police, FDA officials seize gutka worth Rs 1 crore

Aurangabad: Nanded police along with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials have seized two heavy vehicles carrying gutka worth Rs1 crore.

The action is being dubbed as one of the major seizures in the state in recent times. Nanded superintendent of police Sanjay Jadhav told TOI that the action was taken based on a specific input.

“We are confident of unearthing the entire racket that appears to be spread across India,” he said.

According to police, the two heavy vehicles, including a container, reached Nanded in the wee hours of Monday. Gutka has been banned in the state for the past five years.

Jadhav has appealed to the people to come forward with whatever specific information they have about illegal activities and assured them of keeping their identities a secret.

The first vehicle was stopped on the Necklace road situated on Nanded-Hyderabad highway. It was carrying gutka worth Rs17 lakh. The second vehicle was identified as a container carrying the banned substance worth Rs91 lakh. Police have also seized both the heavy vehicles and the process of summoning the transporters is underway.

Based on the seizures, Nanded police have registered two offences under sections 328 (using poisonous substance for causing hurt), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) of the IPC based on the complaint lodged by food safety officer Umesh Kawde.

In addition to this, the suspects have also been slapped with the relevant sections of Food and Safety Act 2006. Preliminary probe has revealed that the container had started from New Delhi on June 19 for delivering gutka at a Nanded-based transporter’s godown, while the other vehicle is suspected to have come from Andhra Pradesh.

Jadhav said, “Those into gutka trade are found shielding the banned stuff under regular luggage and goods that get transported in trucks.”

An FDA official said it is almost impossible to stop and check every truck entering the district and taking advantage of the same, the suspects bring in gutka from other states.

“Nanded district shares its border with states of Telangana and Karnataka and is often used by the gutka traders to get their goods into Maharashtra,” the official said.