Kochi: In one of the biggest hauls targeting illegal intoxicants, seven people were arrested with banned tobacco products worth more than Rs 7 crore from a warehouse at Keezhmad in Aluva on Wednesday night during Operation Toofan, the police said.
Those arrested by Edathala Police are Ayub, 40, of Uliyannoor, Aluva; and Rajasthan natives Jagaram, 22; Narpat Lal, 28; Bavara Ram, 20; Anil Kumar, 19; Bhavesh Kumar, 19, and Swaroop Ram, 20. They found banned tobacco products stacked in 785 sacks containing more than 15 lakh packets. Each packet is reportedly sold for more than Rs 50.
The police said the products were transported in large vehicles from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Mangaluru before being distributed across Keralam. The products are bought cheaply in states where they are legal, smuggled into Keralam, where they are banned, and sold at exorbitant rates, the police said. Acting on a tip-off received by Ernakulam rural district police chief K S Sudarshan, the police searched the warehouse in Chakkamkulangara near Keezhmad Fourth Mile around midnight. The police are investigating the racket’s financial dealings.
The investigation team was led by Sudarshan and included narcotics cell DSP C Binukumar, Aluva DSP Baiju Paulose, inspector P M Shameer and Edathala station house officer S S Sreelal.