Dimapur, August 29 (MExN): Checking of Illegal sale of liquor is not the only nuisance for Excise personnel and police but also liquor adulteration racket widely operated in Nagaland. Recently, the excise personnel and police have seized materials used for adulterating liquor.
A man was arrested on August 28, 0900 hrs for bootlegging and adulterating liquor at Lhomithi Colony near Pranabananda Women’s College in Dimapur. Briefing the media at Suburban Police Station, it was informed that the Special Operations Team (SOT) on receiving information from a reliable source that some persons are involved in selling IMFL after diluting banned chemical rushed to the spot. The accused has been identified as one Suboth Singh, 35 years-old of Bihar.
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It was said that after a thorough search, 87 bottles of MC Rum (Quarter bottles), 25 bottles of MC Whiskey (Quarter bottles) and six bottles of Lord Whiskey (Full) and three bottles of “suspected chemicals”. Also a huge parcel containing thousands of liquor bottle caps was seized.
The police personnel said that chemical used by the accused for adulterating liquor is still unidentified, for which it will be send to Forensic Department for further investigation. Also, the accused in under the custody of Suburban Police Station and also two persons related to the crime are absconding.
In a similar case, the Excise personnel on August 27 also recovered about 15,000 bottle caps and labels of assorted liquor brands from a residence at Elora Lane in Dimapur. However, when the excise personnel busted the place, the accused had already fled the scene. The accused has been identified as one Kailash of Bihar. It was informed that the excise personnel are still searching for the absconding accused.
Commissioner of Excise Maongwati Aier while addressing the media persons on August 29 said that that the Excise Department had been suspicious about the racket since three days back and was confident that they would hunt him down. The commissioner also said: “Definitely, this cannot be a one-man show. At least three or four persons will be involved.”
Excise officials suspect that the labels and bottle caps were transported to Dimapur from either Guwahti or Kolkata. On which Aier said: “...after reaching Dimapur they use to run their adulteration racket. One bottle of whiskey is used to fill six bottles after adding more spirit. That is how we get diluted and very, very unsafe liquor.”
Also, in another incident, excise personnel deployed at Khuzama check gate on August 28, arrested two persons for transporting 49 bottles of assorted liquor in an oil tanker. The accused has been identified as Bikram Limbo 20 years-old and Vikram Chauhan years-old, both from Senapati, Manipur. Excise department has also seized the oil tanker, bearing registration number NL-07-A-0242.
The Commissioner of Excise Maongwati Aier said that the accused were arrested at around 5:50 am. He also said that the liquor was being transported from Khatkati in Assam and that the tanker was escorted by CRPF personnel.
Also, the Narcotics Cell of the Excise department in Dimapur arrested two persons in separate incidents at Chumukedima check gate for transporting liquor. It was informed that accused one W Wetshete was arrested with 13 cases of assorted liquor in a Maruti 800 (MN-01K-3561) while one Weprepe Mero was found carrying 15 cases of beer, also in a Maruti 800 (UP-32A-7940). The excise personnel have confiscated both the vehicles.
