Thiruvananthapuram | In a major crackdown, police seized 1,375 packets of banned tobacco products and arrested a man from Assam allegedly involved in the illegal sale at Kazhakuttam here, officials said on Friday.
The arrested was identified as Ziarul Haque (42) of Saidoria in Nagaon district of Assam.
Acting on a tip-off, police raided Haque's rented house at Kazhakuttam around 11 pm on Thursday and found multiple bags containing banned tobacco products, including pan masala, kept in various rooms of the house, police said.
According to the police, Haque procured the tobacco products from other states where their sale is permitted, brought them to Kazhakuttam and sold them at higher prices in Thiruvananthapuram.
The sale of chewing tobacco and pan masala is banned in Keralam.
The Kazhakuttam police registered a case under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and arrested Haque.
Police are investigating whether more people linked to Haque are involved in the illegal sale of banned tobacco products, officials said.
