Overview

• Acting on a tip-off, the local crime branch intercepted a truck on October 4 at Manor on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway in Palghar district.
• The consignment, described as scented pan masala (gutka) worth Rs 17,53,488, was seized and the vehicle was impounded.
• The arrested suspect is the truck’s driver, originally from Uttar Pradesh and residing in Bhiwandi in Thane district.
• Authorities registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act.
• Police said the investigation is underway to trace the supply chain and identify the intended receiver, reflecting continued enforcement against contraband trafficking.