Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

IN DOABA, NO LET-UP IN BOOZE TRADE

- Jatinder Mahal

JALANDHAR : Despite police claiming to keep strict vigil, illegal liquor trade continues unabated in the Doaba region. As elsewhere in the state, lockdown has seen a spike in smuggling as well as recovery. Police have recovered over 30,000 litre illicit liquor in the region this year.

A police officer said most illegal production cases were in rural areas due to shortage and costlier availabili­ty of liquor during the lockdown.

Jalandhar district has seen the registrati­on of 810 FIRS, with 791 accused being put in jail and 65,000 liquor bottles being seized. Deputy commission­er Ghanshyam Thori said excise and police teams have been acting against illicit liquor smuggling.

“We have inspected 1,103 premises of godowns, marriage places, rice mills or shellers during a search operation to check liquor smuggling and bootleggin­g. A helpline number 85569-18229 has been launched, where people could share informatio­n on illicit liquor smuggling,” the DC added.

Jalandhar rural police seized around 8,500 litre illicit liquor, chemicals and 3,58,080 kg lahan from January 1 to July 31. “Most of the recovery was made during special drives in lockdown,” said Jalandhar SSP Satinder Singh.

Police commission­er Gurpeet Singh Bhullar said the Commission­erate Police had registered 496 cases related with smuggling of illicit liquor, arrested 557 accused and seized over 38 litre illicit liquor, 1430kg lahan and around 15,000 litre English wine from January 1 to July 31.

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