Mumbai police bust major gutka smuggling racket

MUMBAI: In a massive crackdown on the illegal trade of gutka, the city crime branch busted a major gutka smuggling racket in Palghar on early Friday morning.

Unit 9 of the crime branch raided a secret godown in Palghar which was a major transit hub for stocking and storing the banned gutka for supplying to Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and outskirts of the city. Sources said despite the gutka banned the gutka barons were illegally supplying gutka in the city and gutka is easily available in pan shops in Mumbai.

Police team on the specific tip off of police inspector Daya Nayak and deputy commissioner of police Raj Tilak Roushan under the supervisions of joint commissioner of police (Crime) Lachmi Gautam raided one of the biggest the Godown in Palghar and seized gutka of various brands to the tune of Rs 5 crores.

Four trucks and dozens of syndicate members including truck drivers and loaders have been arrested. Police are conducting panchnama and are in the process of getting them to Mumbai.

“Conducting raids on warehouses is a challenging task as many times the goons have attacked the Food and Drug Administrative officials and even police. But as we had specific intelligence, our teams, after keeping a watch on the godown for two days, raided the godown. It is a major achievement as the arrested persons were major gutka suppliers into the city.’’ said an official.