Two held with 313kg of banned tobacco products in Trichy

Trichy: Two youths were arrested after police seized 313 kg of banned tobacco products worth around Rs 1.5 lakh from their vehicles near East Boulevard Road in Trichy.The accused were identified as R Sathish, 29, of V Kalathur in Perambalur district, and M Sivanandham, 28, of Illuppur in Pudukkottai district.Police said they received a tip-off that banned tobacco products were being sold near Maharani Theatre on East Boulevard Road. During a vehicle check, officers intercepted a car and a two-wheeler driven by the suspects and recovered the contraband.The tobacco products, along with the vehicles and mobile phones used by the accused, were seized.A case was registered at Fort police station under Sections 123 and 274 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 24(1) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (COTPA) Act.The accused were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody at the Trichy Central Prison. Further investigation is underway.