THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police have found that the ration rice smuggled from government godowns used to be moved to some intermediate centers to replace the government-stamped sacks with new ones before delivering it to private godowns. A police team investigating complaints of rice smuggling in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, and Wayanad districts have found that the smuggled rice was moved to intermediate centers to give them a 'new look.' These are delivered to private godowns and then sold in the public market. Police also found that the operators of the intermediate centers were close associates of some political leaders and civil supplies officials.

Civil Supplies Department officials often do not recommend a police investigation other than suspending a depot employee for the time being when each case is discovered. As a result, police are unable to arrest the real culprits. Moreover, the smuggling will continue unabated. That is how the intermediate centers became active. Police often catch the culprits whenever they receive complaints. Even then, further investigation is not possible due to the non-cooperation of civil supplies officials. Although a complaint has been lodged in connection with the irregularities in Valiyathura godown, the audit report and the investigation report conducted by the vigilance team of the department have not been handed over to the police yet.

• When a complaint is received about rice smuggling, the police will often catch the culprits
• It is up to the supply officer to report to the police whether the ration rice was smuggled.
• Either the report will be delayed. Otherwise, it will be reported that the seized rice was not ration rice
• If the investigation comes against the mill owner, he will be protected by producing a fake bill copy
• Police had seized 440 quintals of smuggled rice in Alappuzha in four months. The rice inspection report has not yet been submitted to the police.