Berhampur: Illegal Gutkha Factory Busted, Two Arrested

Berhampur: The Berhampur police has busted an illegal gutkha manufacturing unit and arrested two persons in this connection.
The police also seized gutkha worth Rs 19 lakh.

The arrested persons were identified as Shankar Kumar Sahu (42) of Shreema Nagar, Lochapada and Kailash Sahu (39 ) of Ankushpur, Mill Sahi under Berhampur Sardar police station.

Based on reliable information regarding illegally manufacturing and selling of Gutkha in a house of Srimaa Nagar, 5th Line, Lochapada, Berhampur police conducted a raid at around 1.00 pm on August 23 and found Shankar and Kailash manufacturing the Guthka in the ground floor of the house.
During the raid, the duo failed to produce any license or authority to manufacture such gutkha and both of them also admitted that they were illegally manufacturing Gutkha and selling them in different areas for wrongful gain, the police said.

The police conducted the search and seized huge quantities of finished gutkha in pouch and raw materials like tabacco leaf, coriander, mixture machine, packing machine and stitching machine etc.

During enquiry it was ascertained that Sankar and Kailash were illegally manufactured the gutkha and transporting to other places for sale. The accused persons were apprehended and during interrogation. They confessed that they were running the manufacturing unit of the gutkha since few months.

Further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of other persons in this case, informed Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M in a statement.