PANJIM: Liquor, narcotics, cash and other items worth Rs 3.84 crore have been seized in Goa since the model code of conduct came into force on March 10. Interestingly, seizures amounting to Rs 2.08 crore ~ little more than half of the total seizures so far ~ are recorded from March 28, the day, notifications for elections to the Lok Sabha seats in North and South Goa and by-polls to the three vacant seats of the Goa State Legislative Assembly were issued.
Of this total amount, details available with Herald states, seized liquor totaled Rs 2.86 crore and unaccounted cash of Rs 75.18 lakh till April 3. The authorities comprising of Goa police and excise officials have raided several places and vehicles to find that huge stacks of liquor bottles are stored without valid licenses during the ongoing election phase.
About a week ago, the North Goa police confiscated quite a huge number of liquor bottles, amounting to Rs 1.5 crore from Dhargal in Pernem; whereas in what is said to be the second highest, Mapusa police seized 8,100 litres of whisky (900 cartons) worth Rs 71 lakh from a truck plying from Mapusa to Thivim. Separate raids have been carried out by the crime branch and the excise department too since the enforcement of the election code of the conduct.
With liquor being cheaper in Goa, it is one of the suspected commodities extensively used to woo the voters. As such, the authorities stepped up its surveillance across the State and the borders which led to seizure of 78 litres within just five days of the election code.
The Election Commission has also kept a close watch on the narcotics trade with the anti-narcotics cell and the local police on their toes to ensure the State, infamous for rampant drug-related activities, do not in any way influence the elections. “We have been conducting raids at every suspected place. There have been arrests of alleged drug peddlers and seizure of drugs, reports of which are sent to the office of the chief electoral office regularly,” said a senior police officer.
The amount of the total seized drugs till April 3 is around Rs 22.17 lakh and accused from Russian, Karnataka and others places have been arrested for the offense. No ‘precious metals’ like gold have been seized for the violation of the code as of now while ‘freebies and other seizures’ worth Rs 0.016 lakh are recorded.
As per the progressive seizure details released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the value of drugs confiscated from Punjab is the highest at Rs 116.18 crores compared to any other states in the country so far. These progressive figures will go up in the coming days as the election code will continue till May 23.
