In Maharashtra's Thane district, police have revealed that smuggled gutka and prohibited tobacco products valued at Rs 9.96 lakh were concealed within shipments falsely labeled as clothing. The situation became evident when a vigilant warehouse owner in Bhiwandi received a dubious consignment from a transporter and promptly informed the local authorities, as stated by Assistant Police Inspector Somnath Karnavar-Patil of the Narpoli police station.
On inspection, the police recovered banned gutka and tobacco products worth Rs 9.96 lakh from boxes marked as clothes. The goods had arrived between October 29 and November 1, he said. The alleged accused packed the banned goods in cartons marked as clothes and showed the consignment as clothing in the tax invoice as well, the official said, adding that the consignment arrived from Surat in neighbouring Gujarat.
An offence has been registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Food Security and Standards Act, FDA regulations, Food Safety & Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations and Food Safety & Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations Act, he said.