COIMBATORE: The civil supplies criminal investigation department (CID) registered 2,524 cases in the Coimbatore zone between Jan 1 and Oct 10 this year as part of a crackdown on illegal hoarding, smuggling and diversion of subsidised essential commodities.
To curb the diversion of domestic LPG cylinders for unauthorised commercial use, the department registered 280 cases and seized 4,054 cylinders during the period. Eleven cases were registered in connection with fertiliser smuggling, and 1,014.435 metric tonnes of subsidised fertilisers were seized. In a separate operation in Tirupur district, officials seized 34,200 kg of fertilisers subsidised by the central govt. Following the seizure, preventive detention orders were issued against three Kerala natives – identified as Sudheesh, Hussain and Shanoob Khan — on Oct 10.
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An official said preventive detention had been initiated against S Karthikeyan of Coimbatore and Sankar of Salem district for black marketing and illegal hoarding of LPG cylinders. The department said enforcement would be intensified further and warned that strict legal action, including preventive detention wherever applicable, would be taken against those involved in illegal diversion, hoarding and smuggling of essential and subsidised commodities. The enforcement drive targeted the diversion of Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities, domestic LPG cylinders and subsidised agricultural fertilisers meant for public distribution and farmers. The official described these as the first preventive detention actions specifically linked to illegal LPG cylinder hoarding. The department intensified surveillance along the state borders to prevent the smuggling of subsidised fertilisers into Kerala. Officials found that fertilisers supplied by the central and state govts to support farmers were being illegally transported across the border for commercial purposes. The Coimbatore zone comprises nine units covering the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts. Download the TOI App.