KOCHI: The excise special squad on Wednesday raided a warehouse at Edappally and seized 7,000 litres of spirit used for manufacturing illicit liquor. Excise also arrested a person identified as Ajith of Kayamkulam. According to excise assistant commissioner B Tennymon, the seized contraband belonged to an inter-state spirit smuggling racket.
“Following a tip-off, our special squad raided a warehouse at Unnichira near Edappally. The spirit was stocked in numerous cans. We suspect the involvement of a major spirit smuggling network behind it. The arrested person is part of the network. More arrests will follow as we have received information about other members of the gang,” he said.
The warehouse was taken on rent 11 months ago. Excise received information that numerous vehicles arrived at the warehouse on a daily basis. Officials suspect that the warehouse was used to stock spirit before it was supplied to various districts in central Kerala for manufacturing illicit liquor.
Excise officials are checking the CCTV cameras to get further details about vehicles that arrived at the warehouse.
The arrested person will be produced before the court on Thursday. Excise will move an application seeking the custody of Ajith for detailed interrogation.