Gutka sale unabated in Nellore

Nellore: Gutka sale is a profitable venture for the illegal traders and also for the people in the district, who resort malpractices like smuggling, preparation of fake products etc where it had become the second top crime after red sanders smuggling in the recent months.

• CCS police seized Rs 22-25 lakh worth gutka packets in Nov and Dec months
• Adulterated gutka packets mixed with harmful chemicals are being sold by shops

Even though it is banned by the government, consumption had heightened to the highest peak with non-availability and more demand for the product. Some traders are also audacious to produce fake products.

Police have been booking cases against the illegal transportation of gutka from Bengaluru, Chennai and other parts of Andhra Pradesh. Despite ban on these products, they are very much available in all pan shops and stores in all municipal towns and district headquarters at higher price.

They are being brought through the integrated check post, still there is no action against the illegal transport due to corrupt practices. “Banning a tobacco product is a temporary solution and the demand automatically increases due to scarcity.

We can manage to cut only supply part of the trade and the production becomes crucial when there is no prompt vigil,” said K Venkatesh from VR College who studies management.

These products are consumed regardless of the increase in their prices or the scarcity in their availability. Several shops in small towns, municipal areas and revenue divisional headquarters are having plenty of stocks due to illegal transportation.

Adulteration, pep for taste with chemicals, and other irregularities would lead to serious health problems and doctors also express concern over such trends.

“We are observing over consumption after ban since the material is not easily available. So, they are also preserving the packets which is giving scope for adulteration and mixing with some harmful products.

Patients are also facing mouth, throat and track related health diseases due to the dangerous substances,” said a professor from Government Medical College. Reports say around 15 to 20 truckloads of gutka packets of three to four companies-both original and adulterated- are being transported to many areas in the district every month.

Traders selling these products with 100-200 per cent margin due to ban and even a small shop is also having abundant stocks in a secret place. They allow only known users to access the stocks. “We have seized Rs 22-25 lakh worth gutka packets in the months of November and December.

We are continuing raids on the storage points and taking stringent action against the responsible,” said CCS DSP M Bala Sundaram.

By P V Prasad