Mumbai: Excise department deploys over 25 teams to check unlicenced parties, illegal liquor sale

Each patrol unit would comprise one police inspector, two police sub-inspectors and constable-rank officials who will also monitor people serving duty-free and defence alcohol, which should not be used in public places or parties.

A large amount of alcohol is served and consumed at new year parties each year, taking advantage of which large quantities of illicit liquor is brought in from neighbouring states. Officials said they have so far registered 1,354 cases, seized liquor worth Rs 2.82 crore and arrested 1,326 persons for illegally purchasing, consuming, selling, transporting and for duplication of liquor. Of these, 337 cases were registered by the city state excise department and 1,008 by the suburban units. While 344 people were arrested by the city units between Nariman Point and Sion, 982 people were arrested by suburban units.

In 2018-19, the department had registered 1,670 cases of which 383 were registered by city excise department and 1,287 by the suburban units leading to the arrest of 382 people and 1,164, by the respective units. Alcohol worth Rs 2 crore were seized — Rs 7.66 lakh by city unit and Rs 1.92 lakh by suburban unit.

In 2017-18, a total of 387 cases were registered by the city unit and 1,237 by its suburban counterparts, while 376 and 1,155 people respectively were arrested. Liquor worth Rs 12.41 lakh and Rs 1.32 crore were seized by the city and suburban units, respectively.

Recently, the excise department has arrested an individual for selling adulterated liquor. The officials said that the accused would mix three low-cost liquors — Royal Stag, Antiquity and 8PM — with water and sell them in a branded scotch —Glenfiddich — bottle. “The accused would sell them to people living in high-profile societies. These bottles were sold at half the rates of the branded liquor,” said CB Rajput, Superintendent of state excise department (city). He added that people have been informed to buy liquor from authentic dealers.

On Thursday, the department also intercepted a vehicle transporting adulterated liquor in bottles that were wrapped in duty-free plastic bags. “The accused would sell the bottles in these bags to make their the bottles look genuine,” Narvane added.