A well-oiled network behind the supply of banned tobacco products such as gutkha, scented supari and pan masala has exposed in the city. Despite a blanket ban by the state on sale, manufacture, consumption, distribution and transportation of such products, the business thrives as always through the paan tapris found at every corner. Though officers from the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have periodically been conducting sprees of raids, they are only able to uncover a tip of the iceberg. WEB OF CRIME Cops say consignments of gutkha come to the Mira Road-Bhayandar area and are distributed through a complex network While large stores hide packets in the drawer, corner tapris display them openly and citizens can also be seen consuming them publicly According to Pallavi Darade, state FDA commissioner, over 1,000 FIRs have already been filed in connection to the trade of these banned addictive substances since January. A senior police officer says huge consignments of gutkha come to the Mira Road-Bhayandar area and are distributed through a complex and widespread network. Police have conducted over 25 raids in the Mira-Bhayandar area alone in the past few months, but the trade still thrives. In its attempt to expose how the mafia has spread its roots in the city, DNA investigated how the banned tobacco product is openly sold and consumed at every nook and corner. DNA combed Colaba, Marine Drive, Dadar, Bandra, Goregaon, Malad, CST, Borivali, Kandivali, Andheri and Juhu and found that larger stores hide sachets in drawers, but at smaller stalls, citizens can be found chewing gutkha openly.

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