Gutkha worth over Rs 7 lakh seized in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration seized gutkha worth over Rs 7 lakh from various parts of the state over the last two days in an effort to enforce the ban on gutkha sales.

"So far we have not raided any pan shops. We are mainly concentrating on wholesale manufactures," FDA Joint Commissiner N D Patil said on Tuesday.

FDA raided several places in the state, with maximum seizures reported from Pune, he said.

Patil added that items worth Rs 55,000 was seized from the metropolis.

FDA had banned the sale of gutka in the state from January 30 after it was found that it contained banned carcinogenic substance magnesium carbonate.

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