📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sailee5
Crime
Thane Police Seize Lakhs‑Worth of Illegal Gutkha Near Mumbra Bypass, Arrest Driver
✍️ Free Press Journal
🗓 22 Aug 2026, 07:36 AM
👁 17
Thane police confiscated tobacco products worth several lakh rupees near Mumbra Bypass and detained the driver involved in the illegal haul.
Thane police carried out a raid near the Mumbra Bypass, seizing banned gutkha tobacco products estimated to be worth several lakh rupees. The operation targeted a vehicle that was transporting the contraband through the suburban corridor.
The seizure forms part of a wider crackdown on illegal tobacco trade in Maharashtra, officials said, following increased vigilance after the 2011 ban on gutkha.
The driver of the vehicle was arrested on charges of transporting prohibited tobacco and will face further legal action. The confiscated goods have been handed over to the state excise department for destruction.
Authorities highlighted that such actions are aimed at curbing the health hazards associated with gutkha and reinforcing compliance with existing tobacco control laws.
The seizure forms part of a wider crackdown on illegal tobacco trade in Maharashtra, officials said, following increased vigilance after the 2011 ban on gutkha.
The driver of the vehicle was arrested on charges of transporting prohibited tobacco and will face further legal action. The confiscated goods have been handed over to the state excise department for destruction.
Authorities highlighted that such actions are aimed at curbing the health hazards associated with gutkha and reinforcing compliance with existing tobacco control laws.