The Hindu : Excise Department intensifies raids in Kozhikode

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Excise Department intensifies raids in Kozhikode

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE APRIL 14. The recent hooch tragedy in Kollam has promoted the Excise Enforcement and Anti-Narcotics Special Squad and the Excise Department here to intensify their raids on illegal liquor brewing dens in Kozhikode.

The Excise Department seized 67,300 litres of wash and 900 litres of arrack following raids conducted in the rural belts of district in the past two days.

Nearly 25,000 litres of wash and 110 litres of arrack were destroyed in a raid conducted at Keezhiyariyoor here. About 13,000 litres of wash, 140 litres of arrack and equipment were seized from Meerosmala and Kalari near the premises of the Microwave Station. The Koilandy police and the activists of the Madya Varjana Samithy destroyed 8,000 litres of wash and 120 litres of arrack at Kuzhiparambil, Kambrathumeethal and Puthenparambil.

Ten bottles of foreign liquor were seized by the police and Excise officials at the Azhiyoor checkpost. About 2, 800 litres of country-made alcohol were destroyed following raids conducted by Excise officials at the Kannadipoyil, Poothumchood, Pindamneekki, Kurumboyil and Thonikuzhi.

The officials also destroyed 11,000 litres of wash and 60 litres of arrack at Chavattumala at Nedumboyil. They also seized equipment used for brewing arrack valued at Rs 22,000 from the premises.

The Excise Division Assistant Commissioner, K. Jayachandran, told The Hindu here today that the Excise Department had decided to strengthen its activities to check unauthorised brewing and distribution of illegal spirits in view of the Vishu-Easter festival.

He said that the District Collector, T.O. Sooraj, had allotted four additional vehicles as a temporary measure to intensify the action during the festival season. Basic infrastructure facilities had been improved in all the range offices. As of now 90 per cent of the vacant posts had also been filled.

A joint picket of the police and Excise personnel have been employed in the rural belts of Kozhikode. Random checks are being conducted at Pavayalcheerp and Kannadipoyil, which are considered to be the hotspots of illegal brewing in the district.

Excise officials said that illegal brewing was mostly confined to the suburbs of Balussery, Thamarassery, Orakatteri, Edasseri, Vadakkara and Nadapuram. The bottling takes places in the isolated areas and then the liquor is peddled in other parts of the district. Kannadipoyil (Balussery Range), Thalakulathoor (Chelanoor Range), Poovanmala ( Thamarassery Range), Chelia and Kzhiyariyoor (Koilandy Range) have been identified as the centres of illicit brewing in the district. Special squads have been constituted to monitor the situation in Kozhikode and Perambra.

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