The 75% tax on alcohol by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has led to an upsurge in bootlegging from Telangana.
In the last 4-5 days alone, police at Jogulamba-Gadwal registered more than 20 cases of bootlegging against people trying to surreptitiously smuggle alcohol to Kurnool.
This raises questions about border security and puts in the spotlight the police apparatus in both the Telugu states.
Officials maintain that bootleggers are using interior roads instead of highways and are hence able to cross borders, but they were being caught and booked.
Sources, however, told The Hindu that many cases may have gone unnoticed, since people on both sides of the border are well related and are using these family and social connections to smuggle alcohol in various quantities, from single bottles to entire crates.
It may be recalled here that the Telangana government had imposed 11% to 16% additional tax on alcohol after the wine shops were opened last week, which makes booze far cheaper in this State than AP.
On Thursday alone, police seized 1,389 quarter bottles of liquor in Alampur area from a group of people, who were smuggling it to Kurnool through agriculture fields.
“So far, we have seized more than 450 litres of liquor from 44 people and booked over 20 cases,” said Superintendent of Police Apoorva Rao.
She said that they also seized 25 bikes, five cars and an auto.
Gadwal district has 28 liquor shops, out of which three are at the villages on the inter-state border.
Police said that on several occasions, people from Kurnool are coming to Pullur and other villages on bikes, cars and even on foot, to purchase and take liquor back to their State to make a fast buck.
“Many are keeping their bikes on the border, crossing the river bed and buying liquor,” the officer said on condition of anonymity.
He said that police and excise department personnel in AP should be more stringent.
“People buying more liquor in Gadwal is good for our exchequer, but they should not smuggle it,” the officer said.
Police also instructed wine shop owners to not sell liquor in huge quantities.