Midnight Tobacco Bust at Kadakkal Supermarket

Excise officials seized nearly 700 kgs of banned tobacco products at a supermarket in Kadakkal during a midnight raid. The contraband was stored in a shed and intended for sale in the area. The shop owner, Siyad, managed to flee but has faced similar charges before.

In an extensive midnight raid, Excise officials intercepted a large consignment of banned tobacco products at a supermarket in Kadakkal. The operation, conducted on Saturday, resulted in the seizure of nearly 700 kgs of tobacco, which were hidden in gunny bags in a shed next to the store.

The shop was identified as belonging to Siyad, a native of Mukkunnam, who has allegedly been implicated in related offenses previously. According to the authorities, the information leading to the raid came from a credible tip-off, highlighting Siyad's continued engagement in the sale of illicit products.

Despite being in proximity to the raid's location, Siyad managed to escape, adding to his ongoing legal issues. Market estimates value the confiscated items at approximately Rs 10 lakh, which were intended for distribution within the local Kadakkal and Kummil communities. The Chadayamangalam Excise department has recently retrieved about one lakh tonnes of contraband.

(With inputs from agencies.)