Uttar Pradesh launches special drive against illicit liquor trade, patrolling up in border areas

The joint teams will carry out raids at suspected places of the manufacture and sale of illicit liquor and at the suspicious highway vends, located near national/state highways in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: In view of the festival season, the excise department of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has launched a special drive against illicit liquor that would continue till November 5. The excise and police department teams have also increased patrolling near Haryana, Uttarakhand and Nepal borders, to check cross border smuggling of liquor.

Strict vigil would be maintained in the border areas in Uttar Pradesh to check smuggling of illicit liquor.

The drive has been launched in wake of the chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s instructions to the department to act against those behind the manufacture, sale and smuggling of illicit liquor in the state.

Excise minister Ram Naresh Agnihotri said that in view of the festive season, joint teams of excise, police and administration would be constituted by district magistrates and superintendents of police, to carry out checking drive.

“The joint teams will carry out raids at suspected places of the manufacture and sale of illicit liquor and at the suspicious highway vends, located near national/state highways. To prevent the sale of illicit liquor, the stock available at excise shops will also be verified,” the minister said.

Additional chief secretary, excise, Sanjay R Bhoosreddy said during the special drive, vehicles on the main roads would be checked so that the smuggling of illicit liquor in the guise of transportation of other goods could be prevented.

“Instructions have been issued to register FIRs against the persons involved in the trade of illicit liquor under the relevant sections of the Excise Act as well as under the various sections of the IPC,” he said.

Senthil Pandian C, excise commissioner, said during the drive, any person could inform about the manufacture, sale or smuggling of illicit liquor on the toll-free numbers 14405 and 18001805331 and WhatsApp number 9454466019.

“Instructions have also been given to inspect the suspicious godown, cold storage, RO water plants, paint and thinner shops, FL-16/17 shops in the industrial area,” he said.

“Strict vigil would be maintained in the border areas of Haryana, Nepal and Uttarakhand to prevent smuggling of illicit liquor,” he said.