PANAJI
In a major raid, the Crime Branch of Goa Police on Friday succeeded in seizing over 2,000 cartons of beer bottles worth Rs 15.62 lakh in Pilerne, the largest quantity of contraband liquor seizure recorded in Goa while the code of conduct is in force.
The raid was conducted at the residence of one Anthony Correia behind Amrekar Devasthan at Pilerne in Bardez taluka.
Sources informed that a total of 2,083 crates of Tuborg beer, each containing 24 bottles of 330 ml were seized. The total of around 50,000 bottles or roughly 16,500 LTS l of liquor has been pegged at Rs 15.62 lakh.
Officials of the department of excise, the flying squad of election commission and income tax officers also visited the spot after the raid.
The suspicion that the stock was to be utilised in an election campaign is being probed. The seized cartons will be handed over to the department of excise, it was learnt.
The crime branch raiding team included inspectors Dattaguru Sawant, Tushar Lotlikar and Braz Menezes along with sub-inspector Laxi Amonkar, constables Vinay, Sanjay Pednekar, Jayant Gad and Navin. Superintendent of Police (Crime) Umesh Gaonkar supervised the raid.
