Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: Canacona Excise has seized 98 bottles of various brands of IMFL while being smuggled out of the State in a Bangalore-based Container supplying Pizza bases to Goa.
The Container bearing registration no.KA01 AM5329 was intercepted at Polem border checkpost by Excise sleuths at about 00.30 hrs (12.30 am) of the intervening nights of Wednesday-Thursday, returning to Bangalore with empty 500 Crates after supply Pizza bases brought to a reputed Pizza outlet in Goa.
The Excise sleuths team led by Excise Inspector Jayesh Bandekar stopped the vehicle and sought to know the contents in the Container, after which the driver was asked to open up the container lock, and excise sleuths, on close examination, initially noticed one box which contained bottles of a branded liquor.
On further examinations, the sleuth stumbled upon more boxes hidden amidst the empty Pizza Crates and recovered still more boxes of IMFL liquor from the Drivers Cabin. Besides Bandekar, Brijesh Nagvekar, Jagdish Tilve, Audhumbar Pednekar, P Chopdekar and Aniket Dessai were on the excise team.
Superintendent of Excise Chandranath Dessai informed, “In all 98 bottles of branded IMFL liquor were found all valued at Rs.30,460/- being illegally transported without any valid permits. The liquor is seized, and so is the 2022-year make Container-Truck valued at Rs.22 Lakhs is detained. The driver Mahesh Gouda is also arrested and further enquires are initiated”.
Speaking further, Dessai informed in view of the impending elections in Karnataka, strict 24-hours vigilance is kept on the border post at Polem. We have an Inspector, Two Sub-Inspectors amongst 18 staff posted at Polem Checkpost working in three badges/shifts providing a thorough check on the infiltrators of liquor and other illicit transportation across the border for 24 hours. Our staff is checking almost all the incoming and outbound vehicles.
According to the Driver, the Container is regularly making weekly 2-trips supplying pizza bases from Bangalore to a reputed Pizza outlet in Goa.
Answering a pertinent question Canacona Supdt of Excise Chandranath Dessai informed the excise sleuths always carry out inspections of all the vehicles, especially the suspected ones; however, at times, some may escape detections and the same are later caught at Majali post across the border by Karnataka Excise. However, we do not have a proper gate, which is usually operated by police at the border post.’.
It may be recalled that this Thursday’s seizure by Goa Excise is a one-off a kind after several years, as almost on regular mode, Karnataka excise has detained vehicles carrying illegal liquor consignments from Goa at Majali checkpost across the Goa border at Polem.
