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Gutkha worth ₹44 lakh seized, three in police custody
Three men were remanded to custody of Pimpri-Chinchwad police after they were arrested for smuggling gutkha worth ₹44 lakh on Wednesday, police commissioner Krishna Prakash said on Saturday
Three men were remanded to custody of Pimpri-Chinchwad police after they were arrested for smuggling gutkha worth ₹44 lakh on Wednesday, police commissioner Krishna Prakash said on Saturday.
The three arrested men were identified as Ganesh Vabji Sable (29), Sandeep Gulab Thackeray (27), both residents of Sakri in Dhule, and Vishal Pandurang Lavale (22) a resident of Uravade in Mulshi, Pune, according to the police. The three men were remanded to police custody until July 13 by a local court.
“Staff members Vikram Kudal and PRashant Gilbile received information that blue coloured tin sheets carrying copper coloured Tata tempo was smuggling gutkha and pan masala for sale,” read a statement from the Pimpri Chinchwad police’s Wakad police station.
When the tempo crossed the Hanging Bridge and headed towards Dange Chowk, the police intercepted the vehicle around 11:35pm and found blue tins, as informed by the source.
The tempo was found filled with 100 sacks of Vimal Panmasala worth ₹39,60,000, and 100 sacks of V1 tobacco worth ₹4,40,000, according to the police. The tempo itself was found to be worth ₹8,00,000. The three men were carrying four mobile phones collectively worth ₹20,000, according to the police.
The tempo was displaying a number plate with Dhule registration but the vehicle was found to be originally registered in Vasai.
A case under Sections 328, 272, 273, 465, 467, 468, 471, 188, and 34 of Indian Penal Code along with SEctions 26(2)(i), 26(2)(iv) of Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006; Section 3 of Epidemic diseases Ac, 1897; and Section 50(b) of National Disaster Management Act, along with Section 11 of Maharashtra Covid19 Regulations, 2020 was registered at Wakad police station.
