Masks worth Rs 15 crore kept for black marketing seized in Maharashtra, 4 held

Four people were arrested and 25 lakh masks, including 3 lakh N95 masks, with total worth Rs 15 crore kept for black marketing, were seized from godowns here in Andheri and Bhiwani, said Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday.

"Police have seized 25 lakh masks from godowns in Andheri and Bhiwandi including 3 lakh N95 masks with total worth Rs 15 crore. Masks were stored for black marketing," Deshmukh told ANI here.

While four men have been arrested under the Essential Commodity Act, two are absconding, he said.

The raid comes at a time when masks are in heavy demand in the country since novel coronavirus cases started emerging in the country.

The tally of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra reached 101 on Tuesday with three new cases in Pune and one in Satara, the state's health department said. The Maharashtra government has announced a curfew in the state to curb its spread.On Monday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that all district borders, along with the state borders, will also be sealed to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the districts which are not affected by it. However, essential goods will remain available to the public amid such times of a health crisis.The total number of active COVID-19 cases reported so far in the country stands at 482, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.