Over 1000 litres of illicit liquor seized in Kozhikode; two held

KOZHIKODE: Kerala Excise department personnel on Monday seized 1,067 litres of illicit liquor filled in branded bottles from a bar in nearby Kodencherry and arrested two persons in this connection, officials said.

They said about 917 bottles of low-brand rum and brandy were seized from the bar. The rest of the unfilled liquor was stored in barrels, they said.

Excise Deputy Commissioner Jayapalan told PTI that the officials raided the bar based on a specific input.

''The illicit liquor was found filled in branded bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor. These bottles cost between Rs 550 to 650 in the market. The bar manager and operations manager have been taken into custody. The licensee of the bar is an NRI,'' the official said.

The bar is situated close to a locally popular tourist spot in the district.

''We are investigating the source of the illicit liquor which has been brought here through some agents allegedly representing some distilleries. The bar people allegedly added flavours and bottled them as popular, but cheap brands for sale in the bar,'' the Excise official added.