10 tonnes of gutkha seized during vehicle checks in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, four held

In the first incident on Monday night, police intercepted three trucks near a toll gate on the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway in Krishnagiri district. Upon inspecting the vehicles, they found the huge consignment of tobacco products being transported. The trucks were heading to Krishnagiri from Bengaluru. 

The three drivers were identified as Arumugam (30) of Tiruvannamalai, Arun Kumar (25) of Villupuram and Mani of Krishnagiri district. 

They were reportedly working at the behest of a bigger smuggling mafia, which sold the contraband in various places across Tamil Nadu. Police said the seized consignment of gutkha, sourced from Bengaluru, was intended to be supplied in Cuddalore and Kanniyakumari districts.

The seized products were estimated to be worth over Rs 50 lakh. 

Similarly, the Dharmapuri police seized a huge quantity of gutkha products, worth over Rs 13 lakh, near Kurunji nagar in Dharmapuri in the early hours on Tuesday. The driver of the truck Ramesh Babu (42) of Krishnagiri district was arrested. 

He is suspected to be part of a larger gang. Police inquiries revealed that the tobacco consignment was being transported in different vehicles to avoid getting caught. Further inquiries are on to unravel the entire network of smugglers, sources said.