The Pune division of state excise department on Wednesday busted an inter-state racket of liquor smugglers and seized liquor bottles worth ₹ 66 lakh from Nira in Purandar tehsil of Pune rural area, said senior police officials. The officials also arrested one person
The liquor was produced in Goa and was meant to be sold in Goa only, officials confirmed.
Acting on a tip-off, a trap was laid on Nira – Lonand road near hotel New Prasanna . Accordingly, one container truck was seized. The officials said the liquor bottles were hidden in a special cavity made in a threshing machine (used in farming) loaded on a truck.
The value of the confiscated liquor is ₹66 lakh and the value of the confiscated goods along with the vehicles is ₹91.77 lakh.
As per information shared by Pune division of state excise department, truck driver was identified as Pravin Parmeshwar Pawar (23) resident of Tambole village in Solapur district.
A case has been registered for offences under relevant sections of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act and a driver has been arrested.