Thrissur: Police seized a massive consignment of banned tobacco products worth nearly ₹3 crore from an Ashok Leyland lorry during a vehicle inspection on the national highway at Koratty as part of Operation Toofan. Two people were arrested in connection with the seizure: Telson Babu, 36, of Panattil House, Keezhpally, Iritty, and Saib, 33, of Kayyalakkakath House, Aralam, Iritty, Kannur. They were allegedly transporting the banned tobacco products from Bengaluru to Kalady in Ernakulam district.

Police are conducting a detailed investigation to trace the source of the tobacco products, identify other members of the smuggling network, and establish the storage and distribution channels.

The consignment comprised 376,500 packets of banned tobacco products weighing approximately 11 tonnes. The products were packed in 502 sacks, each containing 750 packets, and concealed beneath sacks of onions being transported in the lorry.

The Koratty police took custody of the entire consignment along with the lorry used for smuggling. The products are suspected to have been intended for distribution across Central Kerala, making the seizure one of the largest recent hauls of banned tobacco products in the region.

The Thrissur Rural District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) and Koratty police conducted the operation under the direction of Thrissur Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Narayanan T, IPS, and the leadership of Thrissur Rural District Police Chief Mohammed Nadeem, IPS.

According to preliminary information, banned tobacco products manufactured in North India are purchased at low prices and transported to Kerala for resale at significantly higher rates. Packets purchased for around ₹10 are reportedly sold in Kerala for ₹100 or more. The estimated retail market value of the seized consignment is nearly ₹3 crore.

The police team involved in the operation included Koratty Sub-Inspector Vishnu Ramachandran; DANSAF–Crime Squad member SI Satheesan Madappattil; Assistant Sub-Inspectors Siljo VU and AU Reji; Koratty Police Station Additional SI CS Sumesh; and Senior Civil Police Officers Abhilash Rajan and Martin.

Further legal procedures are underway, and the accused will be produced before the court.