Maharashtra Excise Department Seizes Illicit Liquor Worth ₹1.43 Crore In Thane

Authorities in Thane, Maharashtra, seized ₹1.43 crore worth of illicit liquor manufactured in Goa, leading to the arrest of two individuals involved in the illegal transportation of the banned substance.

A flying squad of the Maharashtra excise department seized Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) manufactured in Goa, valued at Rs 1.43 crore, in Thane city on Tuesday, and arrested two persons in this connection, officials said.

Details of the Liquor Seizure

Pravin Tambe, Superintendent of State Excise, Thane-1, the enforcement action was executed by the department's flying squad-1 team in the evening during its routine patrolling.

Acting on a tip-off, the team intercepted a container at the R C Patil Toll Naka on Majiwada Road at around 6.30 pm.

During a search of the vehicle, the squad found it loaded with corrugated cardboard boxes filled with contraband.

Contraband and Arrests

"The boxes contained whiskey bottles manufactured in Goa. The sale of these products is banned in Maharashtra," Tambe said.

The officials seized a total of 1,450 such boxes containing the contraband, valued at Rs 1.43 crore. In addition to the liquor, the container used for transportation, valued at Rs 22 lakh, was also confiscated, bringing the total value of the seizure to Rs 1.65 crore, he said.

The two occupants of the vehicle, identified as driver Pargat Singh Katar Singh and Amritbir Singh Harprit Singh, were taken into custody at the scene.

Legal Action and Further Investigation

"An offence under the Prohibition Act was registered against the duo and further probe into the crime is being carried out by the local state excise officials," Tambe said.