VELLORE: Civil supplies police seized 11 tonnes of ration rice being transported illegally to Andhra Pradesh following the arrest of two persons at Pallikonda toll plaza about 20 kilometres from Vellore on Tuesday evening.

Police were checking vehicles following information that ration was being smuggled to neighbouring state.

Sources said that ration rice was collected from cardholders at cheap rates for being smuggled later. When police checked a lorry, they grew suspicious about rice bags which when examined proved to be ration rice meant for the State PDS.

The two occupants of the lorry including driver Siva Kumar (41) and Nagaraj (40) both of Gudiyattam town accepted that they were attempting to smuggle ration rice.

Both were arrested and rice and lorry were seized. Investigations are progressing.