Coimbatore: The Tirupur city police on Saturday arrested I Hyder Ali, Tirupur urban district secretary of Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK), for possessing 15.5kg banned tobacco products (gutka).
A police team conducting vehicle check at Olapalayam around 9pm had stopped Ali, 52, a resident of KNP Colony on Kangeyam Road, who was on a motorcycle. His bag contained the contraband.
Police took him to Anupparpalayam police station and registered a case against him under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. He was remanded in judicial custody.
Ali used to supply the banned products to shops in Tirupur city, police said.
A special team formed by Tirupur city police commissioner G Karthikeyan had seized more than 1,000kg banned tobacco products in the past two months.
Coimbatore: Two people were arrested in Tirupur in as many separate incidents on Saturday for possession of 300kg banned tobacco products worth Rs 6 lakh.
It is to be noted that Tirupur city police commissioner G Karthikeyan had earlier formed a special team to crack down on the illegal sale of gutka.
The team arrested Y Jebasingh Philip, 37, a native of Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district, for stocking 269kg banned tobacco products at his rental house at VGV Garden on Kangeyam Road in Tirupur, where he was residing along with his family.
They also conducted a surprise check at a grocery shop that falls under the Tirupur South police station limits and seized 31kg gukta on the day. The grocery shop owner, V Dhinakaran, 42, a native of Alangulam in Tenkasi district, was also arrested. A police source said Dhinakaran was residing at Cheran Colony at K Chettipalayam along with his family.