Four arrested, goods vehicles, manufacturing equipment seized

Mysore/Mysuru: The City Crime Branch (CCB) Police have arrested four persons on charges of manufacturing fake chewing tobacco of a well-known brand and have seized goods vehicles and manufacturing equipment from the illegal manufacturing unit.

On Monday, following instruction from CCB ACP N. Sandesh Kumar, Inspector K.C. Poovaiah and staff, raided a tea shop in Nazarbad, where people were smoking and penalised them. During the raid, the Police saw chewing tobacco sachets in the tea shop and on taking a closer look, the Cops came to know that the chewing tobacco sachets of a reputed company were fake.

When the Police enquired the shopkeeper as to from where he procures the chewing tobacco sachets, the shopkeeper is said to have told the Cops that a person supplies it to his shop daily. Even the shopkeeper did not know that it was a fake product.

The Cops then obtained the mobile phone number of the person supplying the chewing tobacco sachets and returned to their Office and informed the ACP.

ACP Sandesh Kumar, knowing the dangers of tobacco consumption and what could happen to those consuming the fake product, immediately formed a team comprising Inspector K.C. Poovaiah and others, called the supplier over the phone and ordered the chewing tobacco sachets. The supplier told them to come near Srirampura Ring Road Junction and collect their order.

The CCB Police, posing as customers, went to the said spot and waited for the supplier, who came to the spot after some time following which the Cops took him into custody and questioned him during which the Cops were shocked to learn about the fake chewing tobacco manufacturing unit at a shed near Kotehundi village on H.D. Kote Road.

They also came to know that the fake chewing tobacco was being supplied to many shops in city, Kerala and other places.   

The CCB Police, led by ACP Sandesh Kumar, without wasting time, raided the illegal manufacturing unit and saw three machines, raw tobacco sacks and other items. The machines were packing 40 to 50 sachets per minute. The Cops then took four persons, including the supplier, into custody besides seizing raw materials, packing materials, manufacturing equipment and two goods vehicles.

CCB Police have handed over the 4 accused to Nazarbad Police Station. Nazarbad Inspector Mahadevaswamy, who took the seized items into custody, registered a case and is investigating.

It is learnt that the illegal manufacturing unit at Kotehundi comes under Mysuru Rural Police limits and is operating since a year. It is surprising that the Rural Police have not come to know about it from a year, which raises doubts.