Gutka, paan masala worth Rs 22L seized

Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad police seized gutka and paan masala worth Rs 22 lakh in separate actions on Tuesday while impounding five vehicles used for transporting the banned products.
Kunal Shinde, a constable attached to the Hinjewadi police, received a tip-off on Tuesday stating that two vehicles loaded with paan masala were on their way to Katraj.
“We set up a nakabandi under the Wakad bridge on Katraj-Dehu Road bypass and stopped a light commercial vehicle and a pick-up van. We found paan masala worth Rs 11.75 lakh in the vehicles,” Ganesh Dhamane, assistant inspector of the Hinjewadi police, said.
He said the seized paan masala and two drivers, along with the vehicles, have been handed over to FDA officials.
In another incident, a team of anti-narcotics cell of the Pimpri Chinchwad crime branch seized gutka and paan masala worth Rs 10.28 lakh from three vehicles in Chakan. The anti-narcotics cell team, led by inspector Shriram Paul, took the action following a tip-off. A case against the suspects has been registered with the Chakan police. “Further investigation is on,” the police said.