After the increase in excise duty in Maharashtra, liquor smuggling from neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh has seen a rise. In one such case, the Crime Branch Unit 2 of Nagpur Police busted a liquor smuggling gang and seized 60 bottles of premium liquor worth lakhs. The police arrested Sahil Bhalchandra Turkar (44), a resident of Babadeep Singh Nagar, who was caught smuggling liquor in a car (MH-31/CM-2634). Acting on a tip-off, the police laid a trap at LIC Chowk in Sadar and intercepted the car.

 

Upon checking, they found bottles of foreign liquor brands inside. The total seizure including car and mobile phone is worth Rs 6.91 lakh. During interrogation, Sahil revealed that he bought the liquor from a man named Pandit from Gopalganj in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, at a cheaper price to sell it in Nagpur. A case has been registered against both Sahil and Pandit under the Maharashtra Liquor Prohibition Act at Sadar police station. Under the guidance of DCP Detection Rahul Maknikar, ACP Dr Abhijit Patil, the action was taken by Police Inspector Mahesh Sagade with the team including API Gajanan Chambhare and head constables Rajesh Tiwari, Sandeep Changole, Dinesh Dawre, and Mahendra Sadmake.

 

 

The accused was taking liquor orders from customers in Nagpur through WhatsApp. He would purchase the bottles from Madhya Pradesh and deliver them in Nagpur. Police said the liquor was being sold at 30 per cent less than the local price which allows the accused to earn around 25 per cent profit on each bottle.