Date:30/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/30/stories/2008033054730600.htm

Tamil Nadu

Respite to inter-state rice smuggling

R. Ilangovan

Special squads asked to maintain strict vigilance in districts that share borders with other states
Rice sold at Rs. 2 a kg is being smuggled to neighbouring states

SALEM: Sustained enforcement by sleuths of the Civil Supplies CID in West Zone has largely curtailed the activities of gangs that indulge in inter-state rice smuggling.

West Zone, sharing borders with Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh has been a fertile ground for ration rice smuggling.

Statistics of 2008 available with the police show that in 2008 1,050 cases against rice smugglers have been registered and 4,700 quintals of rice have been seized.

A total of 156 people have been arrested. Ten have been remanded under the Goondas Act.

The police have sought to cancel the licenses of 10 vehicles found to have been used for rice smuggling.

A senior police officer told The Hindu here that in 2006, the police arrested 502 people. Nineteen had been detained for six months. They had registered 3,805 cases and seized 22,014 quintals of rice. A total of 301 vehicles had been impounded.

During 2007, 4,064 cases were registered and 31,802 quintals of rice were seized along with 392 vehicles.

Of the 588 arrested, 21 had been detained. “We have arrested 10 women too who used to smuggle rice in trains,” the West Zone Civil Supplies CID DSP, K. Rajavel, said.

Special squads have been asked to maintain strict vigil in Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Salem and Krishnagiri districts.The police, in coordination with the District Supply Officers, have started registering criminal cases against salesmen of ration shops who are found to be colluding with rice smugglers.

The rice, which is being sold at Rs. 2 a kg in ration shops for poor families, is being smuggled to neighbouring states where 1 kg is sold at Rs. 8 to Rs. 10.