Officials from the state excise department have arrested a 29-year-old bootlegger for his involvement in smuggling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) into the city from the union territory of Diu and Daman. Acting on a tip-off, Senior Excise Inspector-Vijay Thorat of Mira-Bhayandar who also shoulders additional charge of Mumbai’s V-division, under the supervision of superintendent-Snehalata Shrikar swooped down on a tenement in the Ketakipada area of Dahisar (east) on Saturday and apprehended the accused who has been identified as-Naushad Ali Ahmed Ali Shaikh (29).
The police team seized IMFL of various brands worth more than Rs. one lakh from the tenement. “Investigations revealed that the accused frequently travelled to Daman. After buying small quantities of IMFL, he would hitch a ride with Mumbai-bound truckers. Efforts were on to ascertain the destination of smuggled consignment and check if the accused had accomplices who helped him in smuggling or selling the booze.” said Vijay Thorat. Meanwhile, an offence under section 65 (e) of the Bombay Prohibition Act-1949 against the accused who was remanded to two-days police custody after he was produced before the court.
Liquor manufactured in states like Goa and union territory like Daman & Diu which is illegally transported into Maharashtra, creates a significant dent in the state's exchequer. There are more than 10,000 licensed establishments in the state selling country liquor, IMFL, wine and beer. Since liquor is cheap in centrally administered Daman, some notorious elements smuggle IMFL into neighbouring states.
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