Three held for manufacturing gutka, tobacco products in Thane district

Thane: Three persons have been arrested for allegedly manufacturing banned gutka and tobacco products in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Saturday.

The accused, Viraj Sitaram Alimkar (24), Mohammad Umar Abdul Rehman (35), and Mohammad Tariq Alikadar Khan (21), were apprehended near Khoni Phata in Dombivili on February 27, senior inspector Naresh Pawar said.

Gutka and tobacco produced worth Rs 7.5 lakh were recovered from the trio, the official said.

Based on the information provided by the accused, the police raided a farm in Kusavali village and recovered materials and equipment used for manufacturing gutka, he said.

The accused were booked under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Food and Drug Administration Act, and a hunt is on for two others involved in the crime, the official said.