Major disaster averted by intervention of excise, seize spirit worth Rs 7 lakh

THRISSUR: The excise department seized a huge quantity of spirit trying to smuggle to Kerala. 1600 litres of spirit brought in two vehicles were seized by the central squad of the Pattikkad Excise Commissioner and Thrissur Excise Range. Four people from Paravur were arrested. The spirit was seized on the basis of a tip-off received by M K Krishna Prasad, a member of the excise commissioner's central zone squad. Thrissur Excise Range inspector Sajith led the inspection.

The spirit was brought in 47 cans in two vehicles. Rs 1,10,000 were recovered from the accused. Pradeep, also known as Thadi Pradeep, a resident of Ernakulam Paravur, who is accused in the spirit case and other criminal cases, Biju, a resident of Paravur Gothuruth and accused in former ganja case of Irinjalakuda Excise Office, Rajesh of Paravur, and Yesudasan of Gothuruth were arrested.

In the wake of the spurious liquor disaster in Tamil Nadu, a wide-ranging inspection was conducted by the excise after realizing that there was a possibility to smuggle spirit from there to Kerala. The accused are being interrogated under the leadership of Thrissur district assistant excise commissioner Sathish Kumar. The questioning of the accused revealed that the spirit was brought to the southern districts of Kerala to manufacture fake liquor. The seized spirit is estimated to be worth around Rs 7 lakh.

A team including grade assistant excise inspectors T G Mohanan, K M Sajeev grade preventive officers T R Sunil, M S Sudheer Kumar, Sijo Mon P B, Vishal P V, civil excise officer T S Saneesh Kumar, grade assistant excise inspectors of Thrissur Range Excise Office P B Arun Kumar, Sivan, Civil Excise Officer Bineesh and female civil excise officer Sheeja and excise driver Sreejith seized the spirit.