Coimbatore grocer held with 450kg banned tobacco products

Coimbatore: A grocer was arrested on Sunday for illegal possession of 450kg of banned tobacco products for sale. Police seized the products and a goods autorickshaw which was used to transport the gutkha.

Sirumugai police identified the arrested as K Prasanth, 32, from Kariyagoundanur near Annur in Coimbatore district. He runs a grocery shop adjacent to his residence and owns a goods autorickshaw.

He was apprehended following a tip off that he was smuggling gutkha from Annur to his residence, using the goods autorickshaw. Coimbatore district superintendent of police Dr K Karthikeyan alerted a special police team, who carried out a vehicle check on the Annur- Mettupalayam road, subsequently leading to his arrest.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that some truck drivers who transport vegetables from Chamraj Nagar in Karnataka, had smuggled the banned tobacco products to Annur and Mettupalayam. Prasanth then loaded the gutkha packets to his goods autorickshaw and was planning to store the same at his residence.

He was remanded in judicial custody. A case has been registered, and further probe is on.