State Excise Department Seizes 394 Litres Foreign Liquor Worth ₹41 Lakh In Nagpur

Nagpur: In a series of coordinated operations, the seized worth over ₹41 lakh and arrested four persons for illegally importing and selling banned liquor from other states. The action was part of an intensified crackdown against the ahead of the festive season. Acting on intelligence inputs, multiple teams from the department carried out raids between October 7 and 15, targeting vehicles and locations suspected of transporting or storing banned liquor. On October 7, inspectors from State Excise seized 230 litres of foreign liquor and a vehicle collectively valued at ₹16.13 lakh. The liquor was reportedly manufactured and sold in Madhya Pradesh, where brands prohibited in Maharashtra are available at cheaper rates. In another operation on October 13, the team confiscated 17.11 litres of Scotch liquor and vehicles worth ₹18.99 lakh, originating from Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra. This was followed by a major seizure on October 15, when other teams intercepted a consignment of 146.88 litres of foreign liquor along with vehicles valued at ₹6.05 lakh.A total of ₹41.18 lakh worth of foreign liquor and vehicles were seized during the three operations. Inspectors Shailesh Ajmire, Vikram More, Mohan Patil, Jayendra Jathar, Anand Pawar, Mangesh Kawale, Dattatray Ladke, Balaji Chalnewar, Jitendra Pawar, Anil Jumde, and their teams played key roles in the enforcement drive. The operations were conducted under the guidance of state excise commissioner Rajesh Deshmukh, joint commissioner Prasad Surve, divisional deputy commissioner Ganesh Patil, and superintendent Suraj Kumar Ramod.The crackdown follows the department's ‘Darubandi Week' campaign held from October 2 to 8, during which 224 cases were registered, 168 accused arrested, and liquor worth ₹44.01 lakh seized. Officials said the campaign aims to curb the illegal manufacture, sale, and transport of liquor, particularly in the lead-up to Diwali, when smuggling activities tend to increase. The department has cautioned that due to the higher price of foreign liquor in Maharashtra, smugglers are attempting to import cheaper varieties and even counterfeit liquor from other states. Authorities have urged citizens to purchase liquor only from govt-authorised retailers, warning that violations under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, 1949 will invite strict legal action.