9000 packets of banned 'pan masala' seized

Kannur: In a major haul, 9000 packets of banned pan masala were on Saturday seized from a tourist bus near Iritty in Kannur district, police said.The bus was coming from Bangalore to Kannur and Central Excise and Sales Tax sleuths, carrying out the search at Kiliyanthara check-post, found the 'hans' packets in five carton-boxes, sources said.Investigation is going on, they said.The Kerala government had in May announced a ban on the manufacture and sale of gutka and pan masala containing tobacco in the state.