CANACONA: A truck laden with transformers, that were stacked to the brim with alcohol easily made its way past the Goa Police and the police check posts, before being intercepted by the Excise officials in Belagavi. The Maharashtra registered truck had alcohol worth Rs 10 lakh.
The truck, it is learnt was meant for Karnataka and poll-bound Telangana.
The initial investigations have revealed that the truck originated from Goa. Superintendent of Excise (Belgaum District) Vijay Hiremath said that the initial investigation has revealed that the truck was loaded at Ponda (Goa).
He said that the truck driver Sriram Sudhakar Parde (31) has revealed the source of the liquor. The driver is currently sent to judicial custody while he will be interrogated further to unearth the massive inter-State liquor racket.
The Superintendent of Excise said that the seizure has come at a time when the Karnataka government is serious against illegal liquor smuggling from the neighbouring State.
He said that he has directed his staff to increase checking on the border check posts at Chorla, Anmod and Karwar.
“Every vehicle entering through the border should be checked,” he instructed the team. Goa has become a pain point for Karnataka and Gujarat as far as illegal liquor smuggling is concerned. Recently, Gujarat Police in their submission before the Additional District and Sessions Court at Bhachau in Kachchh had revealed the involvement of Canacona-based Ligorio Desouza in connection with illegal liquor smuggling to the dry State.
The court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Ligorio. The unattended porous borders of Goa give easy exit to the liquor smugglers, who later push it in the neighbouring States.
