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Haryana chief secretary orders crackdown on smuggling of liquor, drugs
A meeting was held at the Gurugram deputy commissioner’s office to intensify efforts to curb the illegal liquor trade
Gurugram: Haryana chief secretary TVSN Prasad on Saturday directed officials of the Excise and Police departments to be vigilant and look out for smuggling of illicit liquor and drugs in the district ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the state next month.
A meeting was held at the Gurugram deputy commissioner’s office to intensify efforts to curb the illegal liquor trade, officials aware of the matter said.
During the review meeting at the Mini Secretariat on Saturday, Prasad said the enforcement agencies should monitor all the border and internal check-posts to seize liquor and drugs being smuggled.
Officers at the district level were urged to enhance intelligence gathering at the micro level and provide inputs to the CID for necessary action, they said.
The chief secretary addressed a meeting of officials from Panchkula, national capital Delhi, and the neighbouring districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Jhajjar, and Sonipat.
Prasad said that strict measures should be taken to prevent the illegal sale of liquor, which tends to lure voters during the polls. “The police commissioners, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, and excise department officials should actively gather intelligence at the ground level to ensure legal action against those involved in such activities,” he said.
Deputy commissioner (DC) Nishant Kumar Yadav on Saturday said they had shared information about how to deal with such seizures at the district level so far. “We are coordinating with neighbouring states to trace the origin of the seized liquor. Additionally, we have increased vigilance in districts bordering the national capital and other states,” he said.
Yadav said so far, the district has recovered 2,78,819 litres of liquor worth ₹ 9 crores. He said that the increased vigilance would be effective until the upcoming assembly elections.
The chief secretary also directed all officials to expand their intelligence network and take action against those involved in such activities. He suggested increasing surprise checks on alternative routes rather than focusing only on main checkpoints.
Forty-seven checkpoints have been established in Gurugram, and more than 14,000 litres of liquor have been seized so far.
The Gurugram administration has ordered the fitting of GPS in all liquor transit trucks and setting up of a specialised control room to monitor their movement. The constituency has, according to excise department data, emerged as the biggest transit point for illicit liquor.
Ashok Kumar Meena, Commissioner of the Excise and Taxation Department, emphasised the adoption of a zero-tolerance policy to curb liquor smuggling during elections. He stated that licensed liquor could only be transported through 45 designated routes across the state. Any deviation from these routes would result in immediate seizure of the vehicle and liquor.
To facilitate reporting of illicit activities, individuals can lodge complaints or provide information through the control room numbers: 18001022012 (toll-free) and 0172-4112222, as well as via email at helpdesk@haryanatax.gov.in. The control room will be operational from 8am to 8pm, ensuring accessibility to concerned authorities round-the- clock.
