Banned gutkha seized from warehouse

Officials of Commercial Tax Department seized gutkha/tobacco products worth Rs. 50 lakh from a godown in the city on Sunday.

After confirming that it was a banned tobacco-based product, Food Safety Wing officials said it would be destroyed at the Vellalore Compost Yard.

A case would be filed. Deputy Commissioner (enforcement) of the Commercial Tax department R. Shankaranarayanan told The Hindu on Monday that the officials had kept a watch on the godown for the last few days.

“We have seized the banned product that was stored in a private godown and handed over the same to the food safety department,” he said.

The godown was rented out. The officials will take action against the person who had taken it on rent.

The Commercial Tax Department would cancel the registration certificate of the person who had stored the gutkha.

The Food Safety Wing here will take possession of the ghutka seized by the Commercial Taxes Department. According to R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer of Food Safety Wing, they would take a sample of the product and have it tested at the Government Food Safety Laboratory here.