Gutka worth 5 lakh seized

Srikakulam: Police seized Rs 5 lakh worth gutka in the inter-state border check post near Itchapuram town on Sunday. According to Itchapuram CI Ch Bhavani Prasad and SI B MangaRaju, gutka worth Rs 5 lakh was being transported to Kakinada from Berhampur of Odisha in a van. 

Police arrested the van driver Dunna Mahalaxmi Narayana and his assistant Yagadi Butchibabu. Both the accused confessed to transporting gutka during police interrogation on the directive of their owner Y Harinadh of Thallarevu in East Godavari district. 

They are transporting prawns from Kakinada to Bhubaneswar regularly and on return journey, they reportedly picking up gutka packets at Berhampur and handing over them to his owner. Later, police registered a case and handed over the seized gutka to anti-food adulteration officials.