TIRUCHY: Tiruchy district food safety officials on Thursday seized banned gutkha in a container and arrested a case that has been registered against three persons including the driver.

On a tip-off that the banned substance had been smuggled through the container truck operated for noted parcel service, the district food safety officials rushed to Panchapur in Tiruchy city and inspected a stationed container truck (KA 01 AH 4849) in which they found a huge quantity of banned gutkha and other contrabands.

Subsequently, a few samples were sent for further study to initiate legal action. Later, the officials seized the truck and the gutka and handed over the three persons who were identified as P Karunanidhi, manager of the parcel service, P Senthil, driver, R Posangu and R Krishnamurthy to the E-Pudhur police station for further action.

Earlier on Wednesday, the officials seized two vehicles smuggling the banned gutkha at Olaiyur, secured three persons and handed over them to the Manikandam police station.