State Excise special squads arrested 685 in 790 cases in 3 months. Nagpur News – Times of India

Nagpur: Two special squads of the State Excise Department, Nagpur district, formed in October last year, have managed to arrest 685 people in 790 cases registered till December 31, 2021. The squads have created a benchmark by confiscating illicit liquor worth over Rs 73. .53 lakhs.
On the instructions of Divisional Commissioner Mohan Varde, the squad constituted by SP Pramod Sonon was entrusted with the multi-faceted task of cracking down on illegal liquor rackets, and inter-state smugglers who bring foreign liquor at cheap prices from other states. ,
The state excise department, which earlier mostly played a second role to the police department’s crackdown on liquor, is now trying to emerge from its shadow to carve its own identity as an enforcement agency.
Apart from running towards the target of generating Rs 550 crore revenue for the state exchequer in the current financial year ending March 31, the state excise has also strengthened its action and investigation wing by forming special squads.
A source said that the divisional jurisdictions were divided under inspector ranking officers. Apart from this, two special squads have been formed to crack down on rackets. “These special squads will work across the district based on the information generated. They will coordinate with the concerned inspector of the area and conduct a joint operation,” said a senior official.
The special squad had caught 180 liquor bottles worth Rs 2.61 lakh on October 8, 2021. This consignment from Haryana was stopped by the Railways during a special operation.
In another action, five persons were arrested on December 9 by special squads from four different places, from whom material worth Rs 2.92 lakh was recovered.
In another significant action by special squads on December 24 last year, special squads stopped a racketeer carrying liquor in rubber tubes.
Earlier this year, the squad had busted a racket operated by a trader in electrical equipment. He was bringing foreign liquor at cheap rate from Madhya Pradesh. The excise team busted the racket and caught liquor worth Rs 16 lakh.