Shocking details have emerged when a kingpin of a notorious gutka mafia approached the Guntur Urban Superintendent of Police Ammi Reddy and complained against his rival engaged in similar illegal gutka trade. The police took the person into custody, but was let off an hour later due to the political pressure mounted on them.
A few months ago, the police were baffled when they raided a godown on a tipoff and ended up unraveling an entire illegal gutka manufacturing unit near Acharya Nagarjuna University. They later found out that the godown belonged to the ruling party Guntur East MLA Mohammad Mustafa Shaik. When contacted, the MLA reportedly told the police that he had leased the godown to a company that manufactures masala powders and had no idea that they were manufacturing gutka. The police arrested the people working at the unit.
In a well-oiled network spread at different places, the gutka mafia is reportedly running its operations paying huge bribes to officials and politicians in order to buy their silence. The gutka mafia of Guntur has reportedly become a manufacturing, supply and distribution hub catering to four states. The illegal mafia is estimatedly making Rs 1200 crore per year. Because of the political patronage enjoyed by the members of the mafia, police is not able to act tough.
According to police sources, they have observed that cigarette mafia is also gaining ground in Guntur. They allegedly import duplicate cigarettes from China and Bihar and sell for cheap in four states. This illegal trade, estimated to be around Rs. 300 crore, came to light when local dealers and distributors of ITC sought the intervention of police to curb the illegal cigarette sales. Sources pointed out that the illegal racket of tobacco products is spread across many states and continues unabated.
Allegedly, from the time of manufacturing, until the product reaches the vendor, the mafia is meticulous enough to leave no clue through the entire distribution chain. These nefarious activities can only stop when the state government intervenes and gives necessary instructions to the police to take tough action against offenders. Illegal supply of liquor from neighbouring Telangana at the behest of liquor syndicate is another mafia activity that is giving jitters to the police.
