Maharashtra Police Bust Rs 2 Cr Interstate Liquor Racket

In a swift inter-district operation, Pune excise teams intercepted two heavy vehicles loaded with contraband alcohol on the Mumbai-Agra highway near Dhule. The haul comprised 1,716 boxes of beer and whisky valued at Rs 2.03 crore that were being illegally transported from Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh into Maharashtra. Investigators discovered that labels on the cans and bottles clearly restricted sale to Goa and Madhya Pradesh only, yet the smugglers planned to divert the stock into local markets during the current marriage season. The driver of one container admitted to collecting the goods from a godown in Shirur and was immediately taken into custody. Excise officials have registered offences under multiple sections of the state prohibition law and are tracing the financiers behind the consignment. The successful seizure has disrupted supply lines that had been active for several weeks.