Beware, as excise officials are on the lookout for human carriers trying to sneak in cheap liquor into the state
Beware, as excise officials are on the lookout for human carriers trying to sneak in cheap liquor into the state
In its bid to curb the inflow/consumption of Goan liquor in the state, which of late has picked up due to the ongoing festive season and New Year celebrations, the State Excise department has now upped its ante against human carriers.
Big haul: The Excise officials yesterday, seized illegal liquor worth Rs 6.5
lakh from a godown in Fort area. pic/bipin kokate
Taking no chances, the department has now decided to scan all the luxury buses entering the state from Goa, as the officials fear a nexus between the human carriers and bus operators for smuggling in Goan liquor into the state. The officials stated that since the liquor is available for half the price in the neighbouring state, bootleggers are always out to make a killing, especially during Christmas and New Year's Eve.
"Our team is not only concentrating on parties, but with Christmas and New Year jubilations around the corner, we have started scrutinising tourist buses that ply to and from Goa. Chances of human carriers smuggling in Goan liquor are high," said N M Mudiraj, superintendent, State Excise department (suburbs). He also revealed that recently, his team seized Goan liquor worth Rs 4 lakh from Andheri and the bootlegger was nabbed red-handed while pouring the alcohol into empty bottles of renowned Scotch brands.
Besides, the Excise officials yesterday, nabbed the trio of Dutta Shinde, Raju Sakpal and Sandeep Gupta, who were trying to smuggle Scotch worth Rs 6.5 lakh onto a ship. "The trio has been taken into custody and investigations are on. We are not taking chances, hence all party halls, bars and long-distance buses are being checked to prevent illegal liquor from entering the city," stated Mudiraj. "If found guilty of sneaking in liquor, stringent action will be initiated against bus operators and their buses will be confiscated."
Did you know?
As per norms, a person is allowed to carry only two bottles of liquor (750 ml each) from other states.
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