KOCHI: Kerala Excise Special Squad seized more than 8000 litres of spirit which was kept hidden in a secret chamber at a paint company in Edayar Industrial Area near Kochi on Thursday. The excise squad has arrested two persons in connection with the seizure.
According to Excise officials, the spirit was found in 243 jars and the arrested persons were identified as Kuttapayi of Rajakkad, Idukki and Samson of Thrikakkara. "We received a tip-off that spirit is being illegally distributed by a company in Edayar to various places in Ernakulam and Idukki district. We managed to intercept Kuttapayi and Samson with a small quantity of spirit. When questioned, they admitted to the spirit stocked at the company," said an excise official.
It was around 11:30 pm on Wednesday, the excise team carried out a raid at the paint company owned by a person named Kurian. The raid was completed by around 2:30 am on Thursday. "The company was not into any pain production. We found the jars containing spirit in an underground chamber. We have also arraigned Kurian as an accused. He has been directed to appear for the interrogation. Though there were two migrant workers as employees at the company, they were unaware of the underground chamber," the officer said.