In a significant operation, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of Navi Mumbai Police seized banned gutkha valued at Rs 3.77 crore and arrested four people involved in its illegal transportation and distribution across Maharashtra.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashok Rajput stated that the contraband was sourced from Bhiwandi and Madhya Pradesh and was intended for sale throughout the state. The police also confiscated five container vehicles during the crackdown.
The operation began on July 21 when a team led by Police Inspector Sandeep Nigade intercepted a tempo near Kamothe on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The vehicle, carrying gutkha worth Rs 22.40 lakh from Bhiwandi, was driven by 23-year-old Farhan Majid Sheikh, who was promptly arrested.
During interrogation, Sheikh revealed that the shipment originated from Yevai village in Bhiwandi. Acting on this tip, PI Nigade, API Nilesh Dhumal, Suraj Gore, and a team of 20 constables raided a site on the Nashik-Thane Highway at Yevai.
Police recovered four more container trucks loaded with banned gutkha. These vehicles, along with their drivers, were brought to the ANC’s Belapur office. Inspections conducted with the assistance of Food and Drug Administration officials confirmed the contraband’s value at Rs 3.54 crore.
The ANC continues its investigation into this illegal gutkha supply chain, aiming to curb the distribution of banned substances in Maharashtra.
