Banned tobacco products seized

Cracking downThe chewable tobacco products, worth Rs. 1.12 crore, were seized from a warehouse

Over 31 tonnes of chewable tobacco products stored clandestinely in a warehouse were seized on Thursday.

Food Safety and Drug Administration identified the storage of illegal tobacco products worth Rs.1.12 crores near a facility of Central Warehousing Corporation on Suryanarayana Street near Kalmandapam in Royapuram.

Since the ban on chewable tobacco came into effect in May, the food safety department has cracked down on business units that sell the products.

To circumvent this, wholesalers have been storing products in residential properties over the past few months. Now, wholesalers are trying innovative means to store the products, a Food Safety official said.

“The screening of retail and wholesale shops and warehouses will continue. We are now educating food business operators in Chennai district,” the official said.

The State government banned the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of carcinogenic chewable forms of tobacco based on a proposal submitted by the State Tobacco Control Cell.