The operation began after FDA officials received confidential information about a truck allegedly carrying a large consignment of prohibited gutkha from Madhya Pradesh.
According to the FDA, officials launched the operation around 2 pm on Friday. The truck was initially travelling on the Samruddhi Expressway towards Bhiwandi in Thane.
The vehicle later changed its route and started moving towards Pune through Sangamner, prompting the FDA to alert teams positioned along possible routes.
The Thane Division team was deployed towards Murbad, while the Pune Division team was positioned near Rajgurunagar.
Driver refuses to stop, six hour chase follows
At the Rajgurunagar Toll Plaza, Food Safety Officer Laxmikant Savale attempted to stop the truck by positioning a vehicle in its path.
The driver allegedly refused to stop and continued driving. Savale then followed the truck, with local police later joining the pursuit.
Pune, Maharashtra: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized banned gutkha and pan masala worth Rs 1.13 crore in Chakan after a six-hour chase. The consignment was being transported from Madhya Pradesh. A case has been registered against five accused, including the truck… pic.twitter.com/kWgmqXYtVg
— IANS (@ians_india) September 19, 2026
After a chase that lasted around six hours, the truck was finally intercepted at Chakan-Talegaon Chowk at around 8 pm.
FDA officials inspected the vehicle and found various brands of pan masala and flavoured tobacco, which are prohibited for sale and distribution in Maharashtra.
The total value of the seized material was assessed at Rs 1,13,54,600.
Four people arrested
Following the seizure, the FDA initiated legal action against those allegedly connected to the consignment.
The four arrested individuals were identified as: Nafis Mehboob Khan, 40, the truck driver and a resident of Haryana, Nilesh Rathi, from Khamgaon in Buldhana, identified as an owner and supplier, Arun Patil, from Jalgaon, identified as an owner and supplier and Sanjay Mata, from Indore, identified as the transporter.
A complaint was registered at Chakan police station in Pimpri-Chinchwad under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The legal proceedings continued late into Saturday night.
FDA seeks probe into possible organised trade
The FDA said the case appeared to involve more than an isolated food safety violation.
According to the department, the movement of the large consignment indicated the possibility of an organised and continuing illegal trade in prohibited tobacco products.
The FDA has therefore asked police to examine the previous criminal records of the accused, the supply chain and financial transactions linked to the case.
The department has also requested police to examine whether the case meets the requirements for action under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Any further action under MCOCA would depend on the findings of the police investigation and the applicable legal provisions.
Investigation into supply chain underway
Authorities are now investigating where the prohibited products originated, their intended destination and the network involved in their transportation and supply.
The seizure is also being examined from a public health perspective, as gutkha and other prohibited tobacco products remain subject to restrictions in Maharashtra.
The FDA has indicated that the investigation will also focus on financial transactions and possible links between suppliers, transporters and other people connected with the consignment.
