Huge quantity of banned Zarda seized

IMPHAL, May 14: Huge amount of banned Zarda worth lakhs of rupees were found from two vehicles by Thoubal District police while conducting a check near the gate of Pallel PS yesterday around 11.30pm.

According to a statement issued by Thoubal Police, six individuals along with two vehicles in which they were travelling in were detained and thorough checking was conducted.

During the search, a huge amount of banned Zarda were found from the two vehicles.

The particulars of the individuals and the vehicles as well as the quantity of Zardas found in each vehicle as stated by the Thoubal police are Tata Model no 1109 (MN 02A/5102) and Tata Model No. 909 EX (MN07-T/0036)

The occupants of the first vehicles were identified as Lathangliana Mizo (35) s/o Ramliana Mizo of Churachandpur Hmuia Veng, driver of the vehicle; Thangboi Paite (23) s/o Paokhanlian Paite of Gouchinkhup Veng, New Lamka; Lhingboi Lupheng (35) w/o Thongmang Lupheng of Moreh Ward No 7, Canan Veng.

200 cartoons of Parizat Zarda (30 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 60,000 pcs. Printed price Rs. 48 per pcs= Rs 28,80,000) were found in the joint possession of the three individuals.

The occupants of the second vehicles were identified as Sapam Somorjit Singh (25) s/o (L) S Borsingh of Khongjom Sapam Leikai, driver of the vehicle; Chonsei Lupheng (33) s/o Paothang Lupheng, Moreh Ward no 7, Canan Veng and Jamkhoson Touthang (28) s/o Tongmang Touthang, Moreh Ward No 7, Canan Veng.

80 cartoons of Parizat Zarda (30 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, tota 24,000 pcs. Printed price Rs. 48 per pcs totalling Rs 11,52,000), 15 cartoons of BABA Zarda (24 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 3,600 pcs. Printed price Rs. 65 per pcs =Rs 234,000), 44 cartoons of 350 SIGNAL (small) Zarda (120 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 52,800 pcs. Printed price Rs. 55 per pcs =Rs 29,04,000) and 6 cartoons of 350 SIGNAL(Big) Zarda (i.e. 30 pkts each in one cartoon, 10 pcs in one pkt, total 1800 pcs, printed price Rs 250 per pcs = Rs 450,000) were seized from the joint possession of the three individuals, who were the occupants of the vehicle.

The total quantity of zarda seized from the two vehicles is 345 cartoons (8220 packets ie 82200 pieces of different brands of Zarda.

The printed price of the seized items is Rs 76,20,000 ( Rupees seventy-six lakhs twenty-thousand). It will be more than double ie Rs 1.5 crore in the open Market.

The detained persons along with the seized articles have been handed over to the Food Safety Officer, Thoubal for taking further necessary action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the statement said.

It may be noted that the Government of Manipur, Secretariat Health Department vide Notification No. 15/52/88-M(FSSA)Pt. dated February 26, 2013 has banned on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, display, sale and purchase of Gutkha, Khaini, Zarda, Pan Masala and other chewable, smokeless tobacco products containing tobacco or nicotine food ingredients as unsafe food injurious to health, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, in the state of Manipur in the interest of Public health.

Thoubal district Police will conduct raid, search and checking continuously in order to implement the order of the Government in the interest of public health. It seeks cooperation and support from the general public in this regard, it said.