Op Nigha: 1,537 arrested for smuggling sand and liquor

VIJAYAWADA:  As part of ‘Operation Nigha’, Andhra Pradesh police, in coordination with the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB), conducted raids against sand, liquor and ganja smuggling, and arrack manufacturing units, besides checking vehicles at borders.

Following instructions from Director General of Police (DGP) Gautam Sawang and under the supervision of SEB Commissioner Vineet Brijlal, the state-wide joint operation was conducted on December 5 and 6. 
This was the first time an operation of this scale was conducted after the government expanded the SEB’s scope to curb illegal activities, according to officials. 

As many as 269 special teams carried out surprise checks at the identified 1,117 vulnerable points across the state. During the drive, the officials booked 1,537 persons in 1,088 cases, compounded 192 vehicles, seized 3,652 bottles of non-duty paid liquor, 11,230 bottles of duty-paid liquor, 6,016 litres of ID liquor, 349 tonnes of sand, 530 kg of ganja and gutka worth `45 lakh worth. Besides, the cops also seized `11.7 lakh in cash and 8.35 lakh gaming coins from gamblers, and 1.5 kg of unaccounted silver and `13.8 lakh cash from the accused.