Excise drive against drugs ahead of Onam
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The excise department will kick-start their Onam special drive against drugs and illicit liquor from Sunday. The month-long exercise is meant to keep a check on the flow of drugs and illicit liquor during the festival occasion.
The excise sources said the department has planned an intensive drive to curb the flow of intoxicants from across the border. To meet the objective, the department will enhance its manpower in all the inter-state check posts. Also, the private vehicles conducting inter-state operations will be subjected to intense scrutiny.
“We will especially focus on districts sharing borders with other states. Thiruvananthapuram border points will be watched and we have mobilised men from other districts for the purpose,” said an excise officer.
The excise will also keep a tab on habitual offenders previously involved in the smuggling of drugs and liquor. The list of such habitual offenders has been updated and provided to the excise officials.
The senior excise officials will also liaison with their counterparts from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to coordinate combing operations along the inter-state borders.
Apart from the regular land-based operations, the excise has also decided to carry out sea-based operations to deal with the smuggling of contraband in fishing boats. The help of the marine enforcement wing and the coastal police will be taken to monitor the fishing vessels.