Nagpur: In a major action under Operation Thunder, the Crime Branch Unit 5 of Nagpur Police busted an illegal factory engaged in producing and selling banned tobacco products. Two brothers have been arrested in connection with the case.

According to officials, between 3:10 pm and 4:20 pm on October 7, the Crime Branch team was patrolling the Kapil Nagar Police Station area when they received a tip-off about storage of prohibited products near Gausia Masjid, Galli No. 1, Plot No. 733, Kamgar Nagar. Acting swiftly, police conducted a search of a four-wheeler parked at the location and found a large stock of flavoured tobacco and pan masala meant for illegal sale.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Haseen Mohammad Shagir Ahmed (36), revealed during interrogation that his brother Sheru alias Tahseen Shagir Ahmed (37) operated a small factory at Uppalwadi, Nari Road, where the banned products were being manufactured. A follow-up raid at the site, conducted in coordination with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials, led to the seizure of a significant quantity of prohibited gutkha, pan masala, and other raw materials.

In total, goods worth approximately ₹5.59 lakh were confiscated from both locations. A case has been registered at Kapil Nagar Police Station under Sections 123, 214, 223, 274, and 275 of the BNS, read with Sections 26(1), 26(2)(iv), 3(1)(zz)(iv), 27(3)(E), 30(2)(A), and 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Both accused have been arrested and handed over to the local police for further investigation.

The operation was supervised by Police Commissioner Ravindra Kumar Singal, Joint CP Navinchandra Reddy, Addl. CP (Crime) Vasant Pardeshi, DCP (Detection) Rahul Makanikar, and ACP (Crime Branch) Abhijit Patil. The raid was executed by a team led by PI Sandeep Bua and PSIs Ganesh Kadam, Vijay Gite, and others.