Police raid general store selling gutkha, arrest two

In 2012, Maharashtra government imposed a ban on consumption, production, sale, distribution and storage of gutkha, paan masala and other related products.

Pimpri-Chinchwad police have arrested two persons for allegedly selling gutkha, which is banned in the state, following a raid at a general store in Pimpri area of the city. Police have also booked the supplier of the contraband and have launched a search for him.

Acting on a tip-off, officials from Pimpri police station on Sunday carried out a raid at the store located in Sant Tukaramnagar and seized banned tobacco-based gutkha worth Rs 2 lakh, which was allegedly being sold directly to customers.

Police arrested shop owner Tejmal Sundecha (42) and owner of the space Rajendra Sathe (49), and have launched a search for the supplier identified as Sagar Patil.

In 2012, Maharashtra government imposed a ban on consumption, production, sale, distribution and storage of gutkha, paan masala and other related products. In 2019, this ban was further renewed, giving the state police and the Food and Drug Administration powers to seize and conduct raids in connection with the products.

Since January this year, Pimpri-Chinchwad police have seized gutkha and paan masala worth Rs 8.7 crore in over 160 seizures, and arrested 251 persons, including alleged distributors, transporters and racketeers.

Police probe revealed that the products arrive in Maharashtra from neighbouring states where there is no such ban on production and sale of gutkha and related items.

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