Smuggling of liquor through Goa’s porous borders was an opensecret. What is surprising now is the rise in its frequency.
There is huge demand for Goa’s country liquor in Karnatakaand other neighbouring states because of its quality. Indian Made ForeignLiquor (IMFL) is also popular across the border.
In order to keep check on the smuggling activities, Goapolice had installed four special high-tech cameras on the Goa- Karnatakaborder at Polem.
These cameras somehow stopped functioning soon after it wascommissioned and are still not repaired. One of the reasons for rise in thesmuggling activity is due to non-functioning of these cameras.
This week the officials of excise department from Ankolataluka in Karnataka seized a liquor consignment of around 3 lakhs, which wasillegally smuggled from Goa, informed excise inspector, Manjunath from Karwar.
Karnataka government has banned extraction and distributionof the local country liquor commonly known as “arrack”. This has furtherincreased the demand for Goa’s country liquor in most parts of Karnataka, informedAnil Nair, local school teacher from Asnoti, Karwar.
According to Mahadev Gaonkar, former sarpanch of Cotigaoliquor worth lakhs of rupees is transported to Karnataka, every alternate day,by local dealers through dense forest.
Authorities fail to take action on them as the dealers arewell connected.
Since Goa government’s excise duty on liquor is relativelylow compared to the duty imposed in other states, it is a win-win situation forsmugglers from Goa and for the traders in Karnataka. Both end up making hugeprofits. Customers too are happy as they get good quality of liquor.
Gaonkar further informed that besides using the sea route,liquor from Goa is also smuggled via Partal-Shishegal and through the denseforest of Marlem-Tirval through Cotigao wild life sanctuary.
Sources at Polem check post alleged liquor is illegallytransported to Karwar every second day. The guards at the check post let theconsignment through as they are taken care off.
It is also learnt that illicit liquor worth Rs 8-10 lakh isbeing transported from Polem to Asnotti (Karwar) via sea, road and throughdense forest of Astgal (Cotigao). This liquor is of sub-standard nature isharmful and not good for consumption sources disclosed.
Local cashew and coconut fenny is very popular at Karwar andis transported in a gunny bag to Karnataka via Konkan Railway, KRC staffinformed.
It may be recalled that before the commencement of theKonkan Railway there were hardly two dealers near the Canacona railway station.Now the number has increased to ten.
Despite having four authorized check posts “ excise, RTO,forest and police “ at Polem border it is surprising that smuggling of liquorgoes on unabated just under the nose of the authorities.
