THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Excise Department’s special drive in the capital to check smuggling of illicit liquor and narcotic substances during Onam has netted a rich haul.
As many as 1,283 raids were conducted across the district from August 10 to September 11. A total of 120 abkari cases, 46 Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and 1,008 Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) cases were registered. Also, 111 arrests related to abkari cases and 47 arrests related to NDPS cases were recorded during the period.
The contraband confiscated in the district is no less. A total of 19 litres of illicit arrack, 207.4 litres of Indian-made foreign liquor, 22.01 kilograms of ganja, 46.3 litres of beer, six ganja plants, nine litres of wine and 970 litres of wash were seized. An autorikshaw and 14 bikes were seized after checking 36,399 vehicles.
Six raids were held in association with Kerala Police, nine with Tamil Nadu Police, five with Forest Department, one with coastal police and three with the Railway Protection Force. According to district Deputy Excise Commissioner Muhammed Ubaid S, during the Onam season, the demand for contraband including wash and arrack increases. “Consumption and distribution of illicit liquor and narcotics, factories, warehouses and houses are under surveillance. As per the instructions given from the headquarters, special checks are undertaken at the state borders. The drive was also extended to checks in trains and interstate buses,” said Ubaid. A special squad was deployed for this purpose.