TV
A huge quantity of gutkha and other nicotine-based products, which have been banned by the Odisha government, were seized following a joint raid launched by the Crime Branch STF and Drugs Inspector at Unit 1 market area in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
Chandan Giri, Drugs Inspector, said, “As per the Odisha government notification, gutkha is banned. As it causes cancer, such a step was taken. The traders are procuring these products in a clandestine manner. There is no illegal factory, and these products are being prepared somewhere else. It is now almost 4 years since we created awareness among traders not to sell these products.”
The public can share information so that we can carry out further raids at shops selling the banned items.
“We had got information that some shops at Unit 1 market are selling pan masala and nicotine-based tobacco products, which are sold separately. We had raided two shops and found several violating products. Appropriate action will be taken and try to ascertain the source of procurement,” said a senior STF official.
Traders, on the other hand, said that the ban was enforced in 2002, but it is easily available in the market. The government should ban the advertisement of pan masala companies and raid them instead of small-scale traders.
The owner said, “I was not aware that no tobacco can be sold separately. The tobacco is sold separately along with pan masala.”
Earlier, pan masala was being sold along with zarda or tobacco. Now it is allowed to sell them separately, the wholesaler feigned ignorance about the laws.
Traders said that we have procured around Rs 1 lakh products. The company is paying taxes to the government. We are just small traders and getting small money for the sale of these products. The situation is such that after COVID-19 all businesses have suffered a lot.
“I will stop selling them if anyone provides me with other sources of income. We belong to educated families and run small shops. The officials destroyed my products; it is another loss for me,” a trader said.
