Excise in top gear ahead of election

Kochi: Liquor supply is banned in the city for three days in the district till the polling day and the excise department has intensified its massive drive against illegal and spurious liquor.

The patrolling-striking units have been conducting raids and vehicle checks under each excise ranges in the district 24x7. A 24-hour control room has been functioning at the Ernakulam excise complex since the election was declared.

According to officials, the entry points to the district such as Neriamangalam are under close watch and vehicles will be checked. Besides, special vehicle checks will be conducted at every place in the district by the excise units to prevent flow of illegal liquor or money.

Over 100 litres of coloured arrack was seized by excise officials from different parts of the district in the last one week.  The arrack and 'wash' used to be found distilled in forest areas in the district, but here it was from city areas of Aluva and Paravur. One of the seizures was from a shop near Aluva where the accused was distilling arrack. The equipment used for brewing arrack was also seized from there.

Ernakulam excise deputy commissioner K. Chandrapalan said the district saw a gradual decrease in consumption of liquor this year. "Though there is a slight decrease in liquor consumption, the drug usage and smuggling is not at all in a decreasing trend compared to last year," he said.

In another case, the sleuths also seized drugs from a young woman who was riding pillion in a motorcycle. On investigation, it was the person who was riding the motorcycle kept the contraband in the woman's bag to evade any kind of vehicle checks.