Civil Guard officers have seized nearly 1,000 sachets of illegal Indian chewing tobacco during a raid on a 24-hour supermarket in Los Alcázares, marking what authorities say is the first known seizure of the product in the region.
Specialist Fiscal and Border officers carried out the inspection after suspecting the shop was selling tobacco products illegally. During the search, agents uncovered 378 sachets of chewing tobacco and another 579 packets of flavoured tobacco with filters, all originating from India.
The stash had been hidden inside boxes labelled as alcoholic drinks, food and other goods in an apparent attempt to conceal the products.
The supermarket owner, an Indian national, could not provide any documentation proving the tobacco had been legally imported or authorised for sale. Officers also found that the packets lacked official Spanish tax seals and were not labelled in Spanish, indicating the goods had been brought into the country illegally.
Among the seized items were sachets containing a product known as “paan”, a popular chewing mixture in countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Each packet typically contains tobacco leaves mixed with betel, areca nut and a small bottle of white paste known as slaked lime.
When chewed together, the lime reacts with the mixture, turning it bright red inside the mouth—a distinctive sign of paan use.
Health experts warn that the product is highly addictive and potentially harmful, with long-term use linked to serious health risks.
Authorities say the discovery represents the first recorded seizure of this type of chewing tobacco in the area.
The shop owner now faces administrative sanctions under Spain’s Anti-Smuggling Law while the confiscated tobacco has been taken for further examination.
