PANAJI
The Chief Wildlife Warden on Friday ordered an inquiry into Rs 9.74 lakh liquor racket that was busted by Canacona police in the Tirval forest areas at Poinguinim, around 500 mtrs away from Karnataka border.
On Thursday, Canacona police raided three sites in the Tirval forest of the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary and seized liquor worth Rs 9.74 lakh. Eight persons were detained in this connection.
Chief Wildlife Warden Umakant said that deputy conservator of forest (DCF) South is directed to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report at the earliest. “I have sought a detailed report from DCF, who has been asked to conduct an inquiry. This is a very serious issue,” he said.
According to police, four persons from across the border were intercepted while carrying headloads of liquor bags and after a hot chase, Canacona police nabbed them barely metres inside Goa’s border from Karnataka. The store houses belong to three different persons.
According to police sources, different liquor brands worth Rs 8.1 lakh were seized from one location, Rs 1.26 lakh worth of liquor from the second site and Rs 38,000 worth of liquor from the third site.
The alcohol seized comprised various brands of whisky, brandy, beer, palm and cashew feni.
