In a vehicle check at Olapalayam near Kangeyam in Tirupur, 20 tonnes of ration rice was seized. Also 7.5 tonnes of ration rice was seized from a godown near Sundarapuram in Coimbatore.
Tirupur: Amid complaints that a large quantity of ration rice is being smuggled into Kerala in Tirupur district, the Civil Supplies Cid is engaged in intensive vehicle checking.
Accordingly, the Civil Supplies Crime Investigation Department (CID) stopped a truck coming towards Kangeyam at Olapalayam near Kangeyam in Tirupur district when it was checking the vehicle.
It was found that there were 20 tonnes of ration rice in it. The police immediately arrested the driver and interrogated him. He was identified as Sathish Kumar (31), a native of Kumbakonam, who was smuggling ration rice to Kerala.
During further investigation, it was revealed that Vinod, a native of Kumbakonam, had bought ration rice from his surrounding areas at a low price and smuggled it to Kerala and sold it at a higher price in the black market.
Following this, the Civil Supplies Cid police, who seized 20 tonnes of ration rice along with the truck, formed a special squad and are on the lookout for Vinod.
Similarly, flying squad officials received a tip-off that ration rice was stored in a private godown in Phase Two area on Sundarapuram-Madukkarai road in Coimbatore district.
Following this, flying squad special tahsildar Muthukumar, special revenue inspector Goutham and other officials conducted an inspection. When we opened the godown which was lying unattended, it was found that the ration rice was in bundles.
Flying Squad officials seized 7.5 tonnes of ration rice from 155 bags and handed it over to the Civil Supplies Cid. The police are also investigating the persons who had collected the ration rice locally and stored it in the godown.
About 27.5 tonnes of ration rice, which was trying to be smuggled to Kerala from Tirupur and Coimbatore districts, has been seized.