Ahead of Andhra Pradesh state Assembly and Lok Sabha Elections, the Prohibition and Excise Department has seized illegal liquor stocks worth Rs 1.16 crore in Guntur district as part of a raid on Tuesday. The department has also set up special teams and task forces to carry out raids on those found violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in the state. 

In the raids that took place on Tuesday, the Excise Department officials seized over 2,000 liquor bottles from wine shops at Vinukonda and Piduguralla villages in Guntur amounting to Rs 1.16 core. The license of the three shops where the illegal liquor was stashed has been cancelled by the department as a result of the raid. 

In another raid the officials seized Rs 35 lakh worth of alcohol from a store on Yetukuru road, two persons were detained for carrying 26 bottles of liquor in a car. The license of the driver has also been suspended until the end of election season in the state, reported The New Indian Express.

The department has set up three check posts at Pulichintala, Tangeda and Vijayapuri south to stem the tide of illegal liquor transportation. In Guntur alone, the department has deployed three task force, three enforcement, one intelligence and 20 mobile teams.

A 24x7 command and control room has also been set up. The public can reach out to the Excise Department control room to report MCC violations at 08632233576.

“One person is allowed to carry six full bottles of liquor with proper bills. If that limit is exceeded then the license of the shop from where the product was bought will be suspended with immediate effect,” said N Balakirshnan, the Guntur Excise Superintendent.  

The department officials in East Godavari district has so far seized 98,370 litres of fermented jaggery wash and 3,120 litres of country liquor. The department has also seized Rs 85 lakh worth of beer, booked 400 cases in liquor violations and have made 312 arrests for selling ID liquor since MCC came into effect.