Father, son duo in Coimbatore held with 1.5kg banned tobacco products, over 10 lakh in cash

Coimbatore: A father-son duo was arrested on Thursday for illegal possession of banned tobacco products for sales. Police seized 1.5kg of tobacco products and 10.5 lakh in cash during a search at their shop and residence in Sundakkamuthur in Coimbatore district.

Kuniyamuthur police identified the arrested as S Kannan, 60, and his son K Karthiban, 31, both of Krishna Nagar in Sundakkamuthur. A team of police led by sub-inspector Alagumariselvam raided a grocery shop owned by the father-son duo on Sundakkamuthur main road and seized the tobacco products.

When the team went to search their house, they found Karthiban burning more tobacco products in the backyard. Police found 10.05 lakh in cash hidden inside a washing machine. They also seized two mobile phones and a moped from them.

The duo has been booked under sections 24 (1) of the COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) and section 77 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, along with sections 123 and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act. Both were remanded in judicial custody and lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison.