Patamata police raided a private transport company here on February 17 (Saturday) and seized cigarettes worth about ₹19 lakh, which were allegedly being smuggled to Telangana.
On a tip-off, the team led by Circle Inspector D.K.N. Mohan Reddy conducted a raid on the godown located at Auto Nagar, and seized 38,400 cigarette packets of the brands ‘Gold Vimal’ and ‘Gold Step’, said Central Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) P. Bhaskar Rao.
The cigarettes were being smuggled from Tenali and Machilipatnam to Kukatpalli in Hyderabad city. There was no statutory warning on the cigarette packets, and the seized cigarettes will be sent to a laboratory for examination, Mr. Mohan Reddy said.
“Following the directions of Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata, a case under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, was booked against three persons,” the ACP told The Hindu on Saturday.
Police are trying to find out the place of manufacture and other details. A detailed investigation is on, Mr. Bhaskar Rao said.
