CHENNAI: Preying on the tipplers whose buzz got fizzled out by the lockdown, several miscreants have being smuggling alcohol from nearby States and selling the bottles at sky-high prices. From using luxury cars to avoid suspicion to bribing drivers of goods lorries to sneak in the bottles, they are using every trick in the book. While 45 people were nabbed in related crimes in city limits, hundreds of people were arrested across State in the last three weeks.
‘Essential’ goods
On Wednesday night, the Arumbakkam police stopped a lorry at Naduvangarai flyover checkpoint on the Poonamallee Highroad. “Suddenly, men in three cars following the lorry took to their heels and the lorry driver tried to flee, but in vain. In 113 boxes we found 3,408 bottles of liquor. The miscreants had strewn around vegetables on top of the load,” the police said. On investigation, they found that the liquor was smuggled from Andhra Pradesh and the men had evaded checkpoints using an ‘essential services’ sticker.
In another major haul, the Krishnagiri police seized 6,284 bottles smuggled from Karnataka on Tuesday night. The liquor was transported using a goods lorry and a minivan. Similarly, a Zomato delivery agent was arrested a week ago for distributing smuggled liquor bottles. “There were several instances of liquor being smuggled and distributed under the blanket of essential services. Mini vans carrying milk, vegetable-laden trucks, cars with stickers of doctors and health workers were seized previously after large quantities of liquor was found in them,” said a senior police .
Luxurious crimes
Police personnel manning the check-post at Tiruvallur on Wednesday, noticed a Benz car approaching from the Karnataka side. Upon checking the vehicle, 1,300 bottles of liquor was found concealed inside. The driver was arrested and preliminary inquiry revealed that he had been smuggling alcohol into the State through different routes, and had borrowed the luxury vehicle from his friend to avoid suspicion.
“In another incident, police intercepted a BMW car at Hosur. The driver showed attitude and said he was some big shot travelling for an emergency requirement with e-pass. However, upon checking we found that was smuggling liquor in the car,” another senior police officer said.
‘Working’ from home
Last month, Chennai police had arrested two men who had stored a large number of liquor bottles in their house. “The house owner had smuggled the bottles from Andhra Pradesh through his relative. Then along with his tenant, he sold the bottles and shared the profits,” police sources said. Over 12 people in the city were arrested after they were found distributing alcohol from their houses.
Speaking to Express, a senior police officer said, “It is a desperate attempt to make quick money. A 180 ml bottle of liquor which costs usually around Rs 200 to Rs 300, depending on the brand, is sold in the black market at around Rs 800 to Rs 1,000. Meanwhile, litre bottles are sold at up to Rs 4,000.”