Ingredients of gutka worth Rs 1.63 lakh seized

PUNE: The state government's ban on gutka has led to ingenious ways of selling it. On Thursday evening, Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials raided the premises of a travel agency in Rasta Peth and seized pouches of gutka ingredients worth Rs 1.63 lakh, which were being sold in separate pouches as 'supari mix'.
"The main ingredients in gutka are supari (betelnut) and 'jarda' (flavoured tobacco).These are being sold in separate pouches as 'supari mix', which, when mixed together, become gutka. We received a tip off that such 'supari mix'packets were being transported from Silvassa to Pune in a travel agency's bus and being sold during the evening through agents. We raided the agency and seized the stock worth Rs 1.63 lakh," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.
Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner (food), FDA, said, "Supari mix' is the new method of consuming gutka, where the buyer purchases separate pouches of supari and jarda to evade the ban. We have now zeroed in on the method."
"We have asked octroi officials to be vigilant and inspect vehicles for inter-state trafficking of gutka and paan masala," Kekare said.
The FDA team that conducted the raid comprised food safety officials Shivkumar Potgire, Parag Nalavade, Ramakant Kulkarni and Arun Dhule, under the guidance of assistant commissioners Shivaji Desai and Dilip Sangat. The officials have sent samples for testing to the FDA laboratory.