Thane: Gutkha sale rampant despite surprise checks

Thane: The ban on gutkha imposed 11 years ago has failed to make any impact as it is easily available outside railway stations, the court and colleges and even police stations in Thane.

The Free Press Journal on Tuesday visited many shops in the city including one in Kopari, which is opposite the railway station. A pack of gutkha with a listed price of ₹18 was being sold for ₹30. A number of the shops also had a sizable stock.

Gutkha being sold without any restrictions

The government implemented the ban on gutkha in 2012 and it was extended in 2019. However, with a drop in crackdowns, the contraband is being sold without any restrictions. This was also the case in Vartak Nagar where our correspondent, pretending to be a customer, bought a few packets from different shops, with each selling at their own rate.

A trip to Hiranandani Meadows and NKT College yielded the same result. The pan shop operator opposite the college said he sells only 'Rajnigandha' gutkha with 'double zero' (one of the varieties of tobacco). The seller claimed college students including girls are his customers.

Gutkha was also easily available at three to four pan shops on the west side of Thane railway station and opposite the bus depot, with each openly selling a wide range.

Gutkha worth more than ₹30 lakh seized in last five months

Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 2, Navnath Dhavale, said, “In the last five months we have taken action against eight establishments and seized gutkha worth more than ₹30 lakh. The contraband makes its way to Thane, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai through Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It enters into Bhiwandi from Gujarat and from there it is being distributed to the sellers.”

According to Dhavale, the police and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) jointly take action whenever they receive a tip-off about gutkha being sold. “Recently the Wagle Estate police seized a truck with gutkha worth ₹1 crore in the biggest action by the Thane police,” he said.