KOCHI: There has been a rise in the number of cases pertaining to the manufacture and sale of illicit and spurious liquor in the state despite a slew of newly-opened bars catering to the needs of drinkers. Interestingly, there is a marked shift in the game plan of bootleggers -- the manufacture of hooch is a home-made affair now -- which is mainly intended to avoid the eagle eye of Excise authorities.
Figures available with the Excise Department show 13,763 cases had been registered under the Abkari Act in 2019 and 11,271 persons arrested.
With the Excise sleuths further turning the screws on illicit liquor trade, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) and Abkari cases have gone up and there is an ensuing rise in the total amount levied as fine.In 2019, the total amount collected as fine by the Excise came to `1,52,61150 crore, an increase of nearly `30 lakh compared to the `1,23,29,750 crore received in 2018 for violations under the Abkari Act, records reveal.
Officials said this is just the tip of the iceberg. Additional Excise Commissioner (Enforcement) Sam Christy Daniel said bootleggers remain a major concern for the sleuths.
“Earlier, bootleggers used to operate from far-flung areas by setting up a makeshift brewery. Now, hooch is manufactured in households and this makes it all the more difficult for enforcement agencies to crack down on the illegal activity,” he said.
The humble pressure cooker is the preferred choice of these bootleggers who use it to brew ‘strong wine’ even in flats in the city. And the availability of brewing equipment online has made things easier for the illicit brewers, according to the officials.
“It’s quite natural that the fine amount will go up as more cases are detected. The rise in liquor prices seemed to have forced tipplers to take to bootlegging,” said an officer.
According to A S Ranjith, Excise Deputy Commissioner, Ernakulam, though detection of NDPS cases and Abkari cases are going up fines are being slapped mainly in Abkari cases.
Excise sleuths had seized 15,228.7 litres of spirit, 45,62.14 litres of arrack, 29,096.613 litres of Indian-made foreign liquor(IMFL) and 1,91,431 litres of wash last year.