Police on Tuesday arrested two persons after seizing banned tobacco products valued at Rs 9.6 lakh from a tempo in Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra, an official said.
After receiving a tip, the police maintained vigil near Vashigaon on Panvel-Sion road.
At around 1 am on Tuesday, the tempo was spotted arriving there and was stopped for checking, the official from Vashi police station said. The police found pan masala and other tobacco items of different brands packed in gunny bags and seized them, he said. Two persons, aged 30 and 51, who were in the tempo were arrested. One of them hailed from Mumbra in Thane district and the other one belonged to Mawal in Pune.
Efforts were on to trace two more persons in connection with the offence, the official said.
A case was registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc, with intent to commit an offense), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) and provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
The police were trying to find out from where the contraband was sourced and where it was being transported, the official said.
The sale and consumption of gutka, scented and flavoured tobacco has been banned in Maharashtra since 2012.
