Jalgaon: Excise Department Seizes Contraband Worth ₹2.59 Crore; Beer Sales Rise 29%

Jalgaon: The Jalgaon division of the State Excise Department seized contraband worth ₹2.59 crore and registered 1,166 cases during the six-month period from April to September. The district also recorded sales of 59 lakh litres of country liquor and 56 lakh litres of beer during this period.

State Excise Superintendent Pradeep Pote shared this information on Friday while reviewing the department's performance for the April-September period. Pote said the office had performed better this year compared to the corresponding period last year.

During these six months, the department seized 5,37,790 litres of chemical wash, 21,381 litres of illicitly distilled liquor (hand-bhatti) and 3,196 litres of toddy. A total of 1,166 cases were registered involving 956 suspects, with the total value of the seized goods amounting to ₹2,59,13,227.

In contrast, during the corresponding period last year, contraband worth ₹1,81,02,530 was seized, with 1,040 cases registered involving 1,014 suspects.

Regarding liquor sales, Pote said 59,28,644 litres of country liquor were sold between April and September, compared to 57,46,054 litres during the same period last year. Sales increased by 3.18% over the six-month period.

Beer sales reached 56,48,765 litres this year, compared to 43,69,752 litres during the corresponding period last year, marking an increase of 29.27%.

However, sales of foreign liquor declined by 40.30%, reportedly due to increased taxes, which discouraged consumers from purchasing it. Sales stood at 20,17,648 litres this year, down from 33,79,659 litres the previous year.