Assam Excise Dept smashes cross-border liquor racket; seizes 123 cartons of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, beer
Guwahati, August 12
Assam Excise Department recovered and seized 123 cartons of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and beer in a major crackdown on illicit cross-border liquor syndicates.
Assam Excise Department informed on Tuesday that a specialised team from the Kamrup Metropolitan District Excise Circle intercepted a massive consignment of Meghalaya-made liquor at the Sonapur Toll Plaza, delivering a direct hit to black-market operators attempting to sabotage state revenue.
"Acting on intelligence input, Excise officials staged a swift dawn operation on Tuesday. The interception unfolded near the crucial Sonapur transit point, where a vehicle transporting the illegal shipment was halted before it could penetrate deeper into Assam. The Kamrup Metro Excise Department intercepted a commercial truck," Senior Excise Officer Sailendra Pandey said.
Assistant Excise Inspector Pritam Purkayastha said that the Excise team recovered and seized a total of 123 cartons containing Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Beer.
According to the official release, Kamrup District Excise Superintendent Debajit Nath said that the successful intercept dealt a decisive blow to the organised smuggling networks operating along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
Acknowledging the operation's role in saving the state exchequer from multi-lakh revenue losses, Assam Excise Commissioner Jitu Doley commended the operational team for their vigilance and tactical execution.
The high-stakes bust comes at a politically sensitive juncture, as high-level bilateral negotiations remain ongoing between the governments of Assam and Meghalaya regarding liquor price alignment and excise structures.
While state leadership works toward formal regulatory frameworks, rogue traders sought to exploit regional price disparities for rapid profiteering. However, the prompt intervention by the Kamrup Metro Excise Department completely dismantled the operation at its onset.
"Authorities have launched further inquiries to trace the origin of the contraband and identify the kingpins behind the network. Enhanced surveillance remains enforced across key border entry points," Senior Excise Officer Sailendra Pandey said in the release.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good job by the excise team! But I have to ask - why is there such a huge price difference between Assam and Meghalaya that makes smuggling profitable? Instead of just catching the small fish, the government should address the root cause. The bilateral talks on excise structure are long overdue. 🤔
These smugglers are stealing from the state exchequer, which means stealing from all of us who pay taxes. The excise department deserves full support and better resources. Multi-lakh loss would have happened if this truck passed through. Good coordination between state and local teams! 🎯
While I appreciate the bust, I wonder if the bigger issue is being ignored. The price disparity between states creates this market naturally. Why not just implement a uniform excise structure across NE states? That would solve the problem at its core. Otherwise, these raids will just be a cat-and-mouse game. 🙏
Great morning operation! But I've seen such seizures before - the truck belongs to someone, the driver knows someone, and somehow the real kingpin never gets caught. Need to track the money trail, check who's funding these operations, and find out how they're getting vehicles and drivers. Full marks to the field team though! 💪
This is a welcome development, but I genuinely worry about the strain on police and excise resources. Every operation like this costs time and manpower. Instead of just celebrating the seizure, let's also question why the Assam-Meghalaya border allows such easy movement of contraband. Need proper border management. 🤷♀️
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