Rajkot Police Bust Illegal Tobacco Unit, Seize Stock Worth Rs 1.72 Lakh

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajkot City Police has detected an alleged illegal unit manufacturing and storing duplicate tobacco at a godown on Kuwadva Road and detained two brothers in connection with the operation. The police action followed confidential information received by the SOG, which subsequently raided Hiren Perfumery Works at Chauhan Wadi, Street No. 11, Lati Plot, on August 27.

During the raid, police found Hiren Soneji, 51, and his brother Raju Soneji, 49, allegedly involved in manufacturing duplicate tobacco without supporting documents or a food-related licence. Investigators suspect the tobacco was being prepared for sale to different retailers in Rajkot. The operation resulted in the seizure of tobacco packets, raw materials, chemicals, containers, packaging material and machinery allegedly used in the manufacturing and packing process.

Among the seized stock were several tobacco packets of different sizes and colours, including 54 gold-coloured 500-gram packets, 57 black-coloured 500-gram packets, 10 silver-coloured 200-gram packets and 22 silver-coloured 500-gram packets. Police also recovered a barrel containing 40.5 kg of tobacco, another containing around 150 litres of light liquid paraffin oil, and seven aluminium cans containing around 26 kg of different perfumed liquid substances.

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The SOG also seized a grinder, an electric motor-operated mixer, a packing machine and two machines used for packing plastic bags. Hundreds of empty containers and packaging materials bearing names including “Himson Hiramoti”, “Sugam Tobacco 1030” and “Hiren Perfumery Works” were recovered from the premises. Police further found 288 small plastic bottles marked “Hiren P-Jan Flavour”, four kilograms of loose tobacco, a digital weighing scale, two mobile phones and a bill book containing entries from April 18 to August 21, 2026.

According to police, the total value of the seized property was assessed at Rs 1,72,770. The operation was conducted under the supervision of SOG Police Inspector N.B. Chaudhary, with several SOG personnel assisting in the raid. Preliminary examination and opinion were also provided by officials from the Forensic Science Laboratory and the Rajkot Municipal Corporation's health department.

Further legal proceedings are underway in connection with the alleged illegal manufacture and sale of duplicate tobacco. Police are examining the recovered materials and records as part of the investigation into the operation and its suspected supply network.

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