Maha: Two held for smuggling food grains worth over Rs 17 lakh

Two persons have been arrested for allegedly smuggling food grains worth over Rs 17 lakh out of Maharashtra for sale in the black markets of Gujarat, police said on Friday.

Two persons have been arrested for allegedly smuggling food grains worth over Rs 17 lakh out of Maharashtra for sale in the black markets of Gujarat, police said on Friday. The Kashimira police intercepted a truck on the Mumbai-Gujarat Highway in the early hours of Wednesday and found over 5,050 kg of rice and 3,450 kg of wheat meant for a PDS scheme in the state, PRO of MBVV police Tukaram Tatkar said.

The consignment, valued at over Rs 17.45 lakh, was being taken out illegally to Gujarat for sale in the black market, the official said. An offence under relevant sections of the Essential Commodities Act has been registered and two occupants of the truck have been arrested, he said.