World · India Bureau
Maharashtra FDA seizes contraband gutkha, soyabean oil worth ₹4.78 crore
The Food and Drug Administration in Maharashtra has conducted major enforcement operations against banned tobacco products and adulterated edible oils. The seizures, spanning multiple districts, underline the agency's intensified crackdown on illicit substances threatening public health.
LSN India ·
Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration has seized banned gutkha, pan masala and scented tobacco products valued at ₹1.26 crore during enforcement operations across Palghar and Thane districts. The action resulted in the confiscation of two commercial trucks used in the distribution of these prohibited items.
The operations represent part of a broader regulatory push by the state FDA to curtail the sale and circulation of products containing tobacco in non-cigarette and non-bidi forms, which remain banned under Indian law. Gutkha and similar preparations pose significant health risks, particularly concerning oral cancer and other serious ailments.
Additional seizures during the enforcement drive included soyabean oil suspected of adulteration, bringing the total value of contraband materials recovered to ₹4.78 crore. The FDA has intensified vigilance in industrial and commercial zones across the state to intercept smuggling networks and unregulated manufacturing units.
The agency has initiated legal proceedings against the operators involved in these violations. Officials indicated that such coordinated operations will continue to be conducted regularly across Maharashtra to ensure compliance with food safety and prohibition laws.