Port Blair, Dec 01: Huge quantity of Tobacco/contraband caught/ disposed of by Administration. As part of surprise inspection on 29/11/2016 by a team of Food Safety officers on clear inputs from PS Aberdeen regarding possession of contraband tobacco products exclusively to search contraband products made surprise visits to the business premises of Shri. Pijush Guha Roy of M/s Poonam Enterprises, Gurudwara Line to check the sale of tobacco and/or nicotine products. searched upon the godown owned by the Food Business Operator(FBOs). It is learnt that the FBOs have stored contraband products illegally.
The market value of the seized items are Rs.14183/- approximately. The Food Safety Officers in the evening of 29/11/2016 seized tobacco products namely Karishma Zarda consisting of 15 cartoons worth approx. Rs. 3 Lakhs which was booked in favour of Calcutta City Supplier, Minnie Bay, Port Blair. The said tobacco products is seized and kept under the custody of the transporter after fulfilling all the formalities. Legal formalities against the FBO is under process.
Meanwhile the CID Branch of A&N Police has handed over 12 cartoons of Baghban tobacco, 2 packet of Khaini pouches and 5 no’s of prepared pan seized from the residential premises of Food Business Operator Shri. Ajit Biswas, R/o Subash Nagar, Shadipur the market value of the contraband product is estimated to be around Rs.7800/- approx. the seized contraband tobacco products has been handed over the Food Safety officer and necessary adjudication process under the relevant section of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is underway.
Further, the Food Safety officers has also seized large quantity of contraband tobacco products from different locations of South Andaman including Havelock and Little Andaman, Accordingly 17 FBO’s have been booked under relevant sections and compounding procedure is under process and the confiscated tobacco products is destroyed by burning. All the stocks kept on hold at Little Andaman by the Food Business Operators has been destroyed by burning in the presence of Senior Officials of Little Andaman and Food Business Operators on 30/11/2016, the Market value of the stock destroyed is approx. Rs. 75000/-
Meanwhile as per the report available from Nicobar District one Food Business Operator of Car Nicobar has been compounded and a fine of Rs. 1000/- has been imposed and realized as fine for possessing contraband tobacco products in his premises.
Meanwhile as per the report of Designated Officer, N&M Andaman all the declared stocks given by of 5 Food Business Operators on prohibited tobacco products at Mayabunder has been seized by the Food Safety Officer and adjudication process is already initiated against them as per law.
The inspection team comprised of Smti. Sangeeta Naseem, Shri. A Khalid, Shri.Tahseen Ali, Shri. R.V. Murugaraj, Smti. S. Nisha, Shri.S.S.Santhosh, Smti. N. Rekha and Smti. Sarina Nadeem, Food Safety Officers alongwith Shri. S.Rajendran, and Shri. P. Malkondiah and Shri. Antony, Helper attached to Food Safety Unit, South Andaman alongwith the assistance of District Administration and Police Officials of PS, Aberdeen.
Further District Administration once again warns all the food business operators of A&N Islands not to stock, sale or distribute contraband products under and if found in possession will be seized/recovered and action deemed fit will be initiated under relevant section of FSS Act, 2006
