IMPHAL, January 3: The state excise department today destroyed 43 cases of imported foreign made liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor at its Lamphelpat office complex in the presence of media persons.
Speaking to media persons on the sideline of destroying the illegal liquor, asst Commissioner of excise K Joykumar stated that the illegal liquor cases were seized during a raid on four godowns of a liquor vendor identified as Chandu of Thangal bazar on December 30.
He further stated that the raid was conducted with utmost care by the department who had been monitoring the godowns for the last three four days.
Further elaborating on the raid, the excise officer informed that during the raid, the department nabbed a salesman from one of the godowns identified as Rajesh who was working under Chandu. He further added that however, Chandu managed to escape and is still absconding.
He further informed that Rajesh has confessed that he was working under Chandu and that the seized liquor bottles which were destroyed this afternoon belong to Chandu.
Under direct instruction from the Election Commission of India to control the sale of illegal liquor in the state considering the ensuing election, the state excise department has also formed a special information team to collect information on the illegal sale of liquor in the state.
Based on the information culled by the said team, the department was able to seized the illegal liquor, he added.
He further added that the department has destroyed 2837 cases of imported foreign made liquor and Indian made Foreign Liquor since 2011 September till today.
He further appealed to the social bodies of the state to cooperate with the department in its fight against intoxicants and drug.
He further informed that the department has received information that numerous big hotels in the Imphal area have been supplying liquor to private parties inside their hotels and operating like liquor bars. He appealed to all such hotels to stop such kind of activities immediately and warned that the hotel should face the consequences if found to be operating in such ways during surprise raids.
He further added that the department has instructed all its check post to remain alert and to check all vehicles for illegal transportation of liquor.
The liquor bottles which were destroyed this afternoon amounted to Rs 3 lakhs, the excise officer informed.