Man arrested for smuggling gutkha in Salem
Salem City Police arrested a 20-year-old man for smuggling 634 kg of gutkha hidden under furniture in a minivan. The suspect was intercepted on the Salem-Bengaluru National Highway, and police are searching for two additional accomplices.
Why it matters
This highlights law enforcement efforts to curb the illegal trade of banned tobacco products.
The Salem City Police arrested a person for smuggling gutkha and seized 634 kg of the product from him on Friday (September 18, 2026).
Acting on a tip-off, the Karuppur police conducted vehicle checks in front of Periyar University on the Salem-Bengaluru National Highway. When the police halted a minivan, they found furniture items under which gutkha was being smuggled. The police seized 634 kg of gutkha along with the vehicle. Inquires revealed that the gutkha had been smuggled from Bengaluru to Salem.
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