Trichy: The city police confiscated about 400kg of banned tobacco products that was being transported in a load van near Gandhi market here on Sunday. Inquiries found that the products were transported from Bengaluru to Trichy and meant for sale in the Gandhi market area.Police detained a duo involved in the smuggling. They were identified as Sripal, 42, and Jebaram, 40, natives of Trichy.Police sources said that a vehicle inspection was under way at Vellamandi Main Road when the Gandhi market police intercepted the load van and inspected the goods stocked in the concealed deck. To their shock, police found the banned products including chewable items stacked in 14 bundles.Police said the contraband could weigh at least 400kg. “Rs 1 lakh worth contraband mostly chewable tobacco sourced from Bengaluru was seized from the load van,” an investigating officer said.Meanwhile, an official with the food safety department said, “We have collected four samples from the contraband and have sent for laboratory inspection to identify the nature of seized tobacco products.”It may be recalled that Thottiyam police personnel and food safety department officials seized Rs 15 lakh worth banned tobacco products from a private godown in Viswas Nagar near Palpannai in June. The food safety department has been conducting frequent inspections in Gandhi market and adjoining localities as there have been a series of tobacco seizure incidents.

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