Gutka worth Rs 57.35 lakh seized in Hanamkonda

​Hanamkonda: The Task Force police arrested three persons and seized a huge haul of banned tobacco products worth Rs 57.35 lakh.

According to Commissioner of Police V Ravinder, 114 bags containing prohibited gutka and ambar products along with two cars worth Rs 20 lakh were seized from the possession of the arrested persons. It was the first instance wherein such a huge quantity of tobacco products was seized.

The persons accused in the case were identified as Muska Venu and C Prem Kumar of Vangapahad village of Hasanparthy mandal in Warangal district and Lakka Naveen Reddy of Mulug in Jayashanker Bhupalpally district.

Venu was arrested several times in the past in similar cases. Some time back he started a business of selling spices like turmeric, chilli and others at Ayyappa Temple area at Mulug road and used to transport the tobacco products hidden inside the spices bags.

He was accused of procuring tobacco products from various places in Karnataka and Hyderabad and supplies them to Warangal Urban and Rural, Jangaon, Bhupalpally districts. As police tightened vigilance he went into hiding and was arrested on Monday by Task Force police.

During interrogation, Venu confessed to his crime. The Commissioner cautioned the accused and all those, who were engaged in distribution and sale of gutka and other products, that PD Act would be invoked against them and they would have to face two-year jail term.

The Commissioner Ravinder appreciated the Task Force ACP, Venkata Ramana Reddy, inspector Mahender, SI Devender, head constable Shyam Sunder, constables Srikanth Reddy, Ranjith Kumar, Mahender, Raju and Rajesh for seizing the banned tobacco products.

Chityal police seizes Rs 40, 000 worth ambar pockets
In a similar incident in Jayashannker Bhupalpally district, police have conducted raids on many kirana shops at Jadalpet and Nainpaka villages of Chityal mandal and seized Rs 40, 000 worth ambar pockets, informed the CI, S Srinivas and SI, Anil Kumar.