KOLKATA: The excise department has seized huge quantities of India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) across the state in the last few weeks. There has been seizure of both liquor meant for other states as well as spurious liquor. The differences in price is a reason for smuggling, along with proliferation of spurious liquor, felt experts. According to excise sources, the total amount of seizure could be worth over Rs 30 crore.
“Over a period of about four months, as many as 25 cases of liquor meant for inter-state smuggling have been detected in the border districts of North Bengal — mostly meant for sale in Arunachal Pradesh,” said Subrata Biswas, special excise commissioner (enforcement). He pointed out it is mostly coming from Papum Pare district in Arunachal Pradesh. “This is close to Assam. From Papum Pare in Arunachal, liquor is coming to Alipurduar — a stretch of about 600km,” Biswas added.
During the pandemic, liquor price in Bengal was revised on April 9 and in November. The increase in IMFL price was to the tune of 50%-60% from the March level. But the price of beer reduced in November by 20%-25%, which lead to lower price compared to March 20.
According to sources, AP has a significantly low rate of excise duty and MRPs are much lower than in Bengal. “The interceptions have been in the form of truckloads of liquor, some probably intended for Bihar as well. The brands are mostly leading companies,” added a source. The price differential in some cases is three times. “A 750ml standard rum is priced at Rs 155 in AP, which is Rs 680 here. A standard deluxe whiskey costs Rs 1,000 here, but goes for Rs 300 in AP,” added the source.
A huge cache of raw spirits was detected and a couple of persons arrested a couple of days ago near Barakar in West Burdwan. “A huge quantity of fake liquor, ready with labels, meant for sale in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, was also seized there,” the source said.
A godown was unearthed in Kolkata a week ago and tens of thousands of labels and corks for fake brands of liquor were recovered. A huge stock was also unearthed a couple of days ago in Howrah. “This seizure is important not from the economic point of view, but the enormous scale in which the spurious fake foreign liquor trade is taking shape here,” said a source.
Bengal excise is tightening its grip on illegal sales ahead of the polls and the excise department is setting up a control room with toll-free numbers.