TRICHY: The flying squad seized 4,000 kgs of PDS rice smuggled in Thanjavur during the routine vehicle inspection on Friday and arrested one person.

It is said that as many as 72 flying squads and Static Surveillance teams have been established in the Thanjavur district, and they have been conducting regular vehicle inspections across the district.

When a flying squad was conducting a vehicle inspection at Vinmanglam bridge near Boothalur in the district, they suspected a mini load truck and inspected the vehicle, in which they found that there were as many as 89 bags of rice together weighing 4,450 kg meant for distribution through the PDS outlets.

Soon, the team passed on the information to the Civil Supplies CID police, who rushed to the spot and conducted an investigation. Upon investigation, it was found that a gang was involved in procuring PDS rice, making them as flour and selling it for higher prices.

Subsequently, the police seized the vehicle with rice bags and arrested the driver Dhanush (20), from Manakkarambai in Thanjavur and took him for further investigation.