KOLLAM: Police have seized 790 sacks of Ration rice that were being smuggled out of Thiruvananthapuram as branded rice. The lorries with sacks were confiscated by a police team led by Paripally SI P Rajesh between 10 and 11 pm from various places.

The police were able to intercept the Lorries on the basis of the secret information received by City Special Branch. Though the first lorry was caught by 10 pm, the other two lorries suspended their journey and hung around after sensing some trouble.

But the police tactfully summoned the other two lorry drivers to the spot with the help of the lorry driver in custody. The rice seized was the one being smuggled to different retail shops in Ernakulam from the flour mill run by a person called Karhikeyan in Poovar.

Now all three drivers are in police custody. The police said Karthikeyan had a secret depot in Poovar to collect Ration rice. According to the police Karthikeyan bought Rs 2/kg Ration rice for Rs 10/k, added colour to it and sold it out at the open market for Rs 40 per kg.