In one of the largest coordinated crackdowns on illicit tobacco products in the region, the Tirupati Regional Vigilance and Enforcement wing on Saturday seized over 2,020 bags of gutka and other illicit tobacco products worth over ₹2.72 crore in Tirupati and Chittoor districts.
According to specific intelligence and on the instructions of DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, surprise inspections were conducted on January 30 under the supervision of Regional Vigilance and Enforcement Officer K. Karimullah Sharif, with teams from the GST and Revenue Department joining the operation. The raids involved several shops and branches in Tirupati, Puttur, Sullurpeta, Varadaiahpalem, Chittoor and Nagari. Large seizures were reported from wholesale crashes in Tirupati Industrial Area and retail outlets in Puttur and Chittoor. Officials said that criminal proceedings have been initiated against shop owners and transporters along with imposition of heavy penalties under strict legal provisions. Warning of zero tolerance, the warning authorities said inspections would continue to clamp down on the illegal trade, which poses a serious threat to public health. The public has been urged to report the illegal sale or transport of gutka and banned tobacco products to bailiffs.
Published – 31 Jan 2026 20:30 IST
