A significant raid occurred near the Kanakumbi checkpost in Khanapura taluk, Belagavi district, where excise officials confiscated 3,060 bottles of liquor valued at 49 lakhs and containers worth 35 lakhs. The liquor was being smuggled in a container that had been modified to create a hidden compartment.
The operation was reportedly inspired by the film “Pushpa,” and officials were taken aback by the innovative smuggling tactics. The illicit liquor was allegedly being transported from Goa to Maharashtra through Belgaum, with a decoy dustbin placed outside the compartment to mislead authorities.
Concerns have arisen regarding political parties potentially stockpiling alcohol for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, as the labels indicated the liquor was produced in Goa and intended solely for sale in Maharashtra. Deputy Commissioner of the Excise Department, Dr. Manjunath, commended the operation.
