Based on a tip-off, the officials from Food Safety and Drug Administration Department conducted a surprise inspection in retail shops and seized banned tobacco products worth Rs. 5 lakhs.
Officials led by Dr. Vijay, Designated officer, Deputy Director of Health Services raided a few shops in RG Street and Thomas Street, this morning. Close to 2.5 tonnes of banned products like tobacco and gukta packets were seized from the shop.
Designated officer, Deputy Director of Health Services, Vijay while speaking to the media said "The department had received information regarding illegal sales of banned products in the areas of R.G Street and Thomas Street. Nearly 2.5 tonnes of Pan Parag and Gutka from the shopkeepers has been confiscated. The worth of these products could be around Rs. 5 lakhs.
These products are proven to cause oral cancers and many other health ailments. Hence, sale of these products have been banned by the Tamil Nadu Government. However, there has been a spurt in smuggling of these banned products. Most of the times banned tobacco products are smuggled through buses and trains from nearby regions to Coimbatore. To keep a check on these products, we have advised all Omni bus drivers and conductors inform the health department officials, if anyone is found travelling with these banned goods'.
Designated Officer, Vijay also said that 'The shopkeepers are found to be repeated offenders and legal cases have already been registered against them and investigation is on. Further action will be initiated after conducting a study on the lifted products. However, we have decided to intensify the raids across the city to confiscate such banned products'.