2.2 Tonnes of Ration Rice Smuggling Racket Busted in Coimbatore

Coimbatore: The Civil Supplies CID police on Friday arrested a 35-year-old man for attempting to smuggle 2,200kg of rice meant for the public distribution system into Kerala from Coimbatore, seizing the ration rice in the process.

The arrested person was identified as B Thangapandian, a truck driver from Madurai, who was currently residing at Kuniyamuthur. A police officer said the seizure was made during a vehicle check.

A police patrol team attached to the Kuniyamuthur station noticed a mini truck parked near Bhagavathi Amman Temple at Kuniyamuthur in the early hours of the day. The vehicle was loaded with sacks, raising suspicion among the patrol team.

On checking the vehicle, the team found ration rice packed in 44 sacks, with each sack weighing 50kg. Though Thangapandian fled from the spot, he was nabbed later.

According to the officer, Thangapandian had collected the ration rice from local people at a lower rate with the intention of selling it in Kerala at a higher price.

The Kuniyamuthur police alerted the Civil Supplies CID police, who then seized the mini truck along with the ration rice and arrested Thangapandian. He was produced before court and remanded in judicial custody.