

KOCHI: Excise Special Squad on Saturday intercepted an inter-state lorry and seized around 1,800 litres of spirit near Perumbavoor. Excise officials also took two persons into custody. It was on Saturday night that the Excise Special Squad intercepted a lorry at Mannoor near Perumbavoor, following a tip-off. In the initial check, sacks containing hay were found loaded on the lorry.
However, when the haystacks were removed, spirit containers were found hidden at the lower layer. As many as 54 containers were recovered from the lorry. Excise officials claimed that the lorry contained around 1,800 litres of spirit. Excise took Babu of Kottackal and Vinod of Chalakudy, who were on the lorry, into custody. The duo confessed that the spirit was being transported for a person in Kottayam. The spirit was brought from Hubballi in Karnataka. A probe is on to trace the person who ordered the consignment.