Team Herald
PANJIM: In what could be one of its biggest successes during any election period, the Excise Department has broken a record with the number of seizures, different type of liquor items confiscated during the ongoing code of conduct.
Details shared with the media reveals that the excise officials raided 6440 places and seized 68,024 litres of alcohol, worth a whopping Rs 5.59 crore. The total value has crossed confiscations made in the previous 2017 General Assembly elections, which was 28,701 litres and valued at Rs 53.98 lakh.
Excise Commissioner Amit Satija said the flying squads across the talukas and the head quarter in Panjim have booked 222 cases out of the total places inspected since the enforcement of the code of conduct from March 10 till April 20, 2019.
“We have 123 flying squads in each taluka in addition to which, three special flying squads are posted at the check-posts (to thwart any attempt of smuggling).
Another five flying squads are posted at the head quarters,” he said adding that during the crucial 48 hours before the voting, the checks by the flying squads will be further strengthened.
Out of the total litres of alcohol seized, Indian Made Foreign Liquor constitutes the maximum 66,0002 litres followed by 1215 litres of beer and 811 litres of country made liquor.
Interestingly, no cases of smuggling of liquor from across the borders have been reported so far.
