Police intensify drive against banned tobacco products

Chennai police intensify crackdown on banned tobacco products, seizing 3,000 kg contraband, freezing 96 bank accounts, and sealing 50 shops.

The city police has intensified its drive against the sale of banned tobacco products and booked 102 cases in north and west zones in January, besides seizing 3,000 kg of contraband. The bank accounts of 96 smugglers were frozen and over 50 shops were sealed in that period.

Additional Commissioner of Police, North, Asra Garg told The Hindu, “We have intensified our drive against the sale and stocking of banned tobacco products in our jurisdictions and are taking all efforts to curb the menace. In January alone, our personnel have seized over 3,000 kilos and registered 102 cases. One-fifty-nine people were arrested for the offence of smuggling, selling and stocking the contraband after duly booking cases under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (COTP ) Act, 2003 and IPA provisions.”

Mr. Garg adds, “We are also freezing the bank accounts of those who are involved in these offences frequently and have frozen 96 bank accounts with amount involving ₹43 lakh in the last month. As many as 50 shops that sold the contraband were sealed. Effective surveillance is being done against the sale of banned tobacco products. Stringent action would be taken against those who manufacture, transport and sell tobacco products.

Pulianthope, Washermenpet and Koyambedu police districts have more stocks of seized contraband. Since it was challenging to keep the stock in the police station, police also started destroying them after obtaining due orders from the concerned courts.