Truckload of ‘cash’ turns out to be 16 tonnes of tea bags in Tamil Nadu

COIMBATORE: Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse a mob that waylaid a container-laden truck carrying tea bags at Athupalam here on Monday night, believing that it was transporting huge stacks of currency notes.


A group of people had stopped the truck, which they thought was going over the speed limit, near Athupalam toll

plaza

around 10.30pm. As the panicked truck driver failed to explain about the contents in the container, rumours spread that it was carrying cash. Someone mentioned how three trucks carrying Rs 570crore in cash were seized in the neighbouring Tirupur during the 2016 assembly elections. The road was blocked as more people rushed to the spot.

A police team led by deputy commissioner of police L Balaji Saravanan and election flying squad officials soon reached the spot and questioned the truck driver. Driver Prakash told the officials that the container has 16tonnes of tea bags. But the crowd was not in a mood to listen. They insisted that they will not allow the vehicle to move from the spot unless the container is opened in full public view. Though police advised them to disperse, people refused to budge. But they ran away after the police team resorted to lathicharge.

The truck was then taken to the collectorate and the container was opened in the presence of tahsildar and election flying squad officials. Police allowed some political party functionaries and members of public to check the bundles of tea bags. The container was then locked and sealed.

It was again opened on Tuesday afternoon in the presence of collector K Rajamani. Election officials checked all bundles and made sure that no contraband was present.

The owner of the consignment, Hemen Shah, director of Shah Borthers, told TOI that the tea bags worth Rs 30lakh were on the way to the Kochi port. “I had promised the buyer that the consignment will reach the vessel at Kochi port on Tuesday morning. Since I was not able to send the consignment to Germany on time, I would face severe loss,” he said.

The consignment was handed over to the owner after thorough inspection.

Meanwhile, the collector said that the flying squads had seized Rs 9.06crore in cash and 153kg gold so far from the district. “We have released Rs 2.75crore and 1kg gold after verifying documents. The container was checked in the presence of GST, customs and income tax department officials. I have instructed the officials not to harass general public unnecessarily.”


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