Pune: Smuggling of liquor under the guise of cosmetics exposed; valuables worth Rs 1.5 crore seized in State Excise Department action at Khed-Shivapur
Pune: The State Excise Department’s Saswad Division has taken action against illegal transportation of liquor for sale in Goa under the guise of cosmetics.
A person has been arrested and valuables worth Rs 1.5 crore, including liquor, have been seized. This action was taken on Wednesday (July 10) in front of Hotel Jagdamba in the Khed-Shivapur area on Pune-Satara highway.
Charan Singh Rajput, Superintendent, State Excise Department, got a tip-off that liquor for sale in Goa was being transported on Pune-Satara highway. Accordingly, a team of Saswad Division conducted a drive and inspected vehicles.
A suspect 14-wheeler truck (HR 63 D 8878) was stopped in front of Hotel Jagdamba in Khed Shivapur. When enquired about the valuables in the truck, the driver avoided a direct reply.
The team checked the vehicle and suspected foul play. On checking the vehicle, they found 79,680 sealed bottles (180 ml each in 1,660 boxes) and 6,480 sealed bottles (750 ml each in 540 boxes) of Royal Blue Malt Whiskey manufactured and for sale in Goa.
Valuables amounting to over Rs 1.51 crore, including the vehicle and liquor, were seized and driver Sunil Chakravarty was arrested. A case has been registered against the accused under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act.
The action was taken under the guidance of Commissioner of State Excise Dr Vijay Suryawanshi, Director Prasad Surve and Deputy Commissioner (Pune) Sagar Dhomkar. A team comprising Superintendent Charan Singh Rajput, Sub Inspector Pradeep Mohite, Ram Supekar, Rohit Mane, Dhaval Golekar, Assistant Sub Inspector Sagar Durve, Sandeep Mandvekar, jawan Bhagwat Rathod, Tatya Shinde, Sameer Padval, Akshay Mhetre, Ranjit Chavan, Ram Chavre, Sunil Kudale, Dattatray Pilaware and Ankush Kamble took the action.
Sub Inspector Pradeep Mohite is investigating further.
