In a joint operation, officials of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) and the Vijayawada Police on Saturday conducted raids and seized 5,162 liquor bottles imported from Punjab. The recovered stocks was worth about ₹20 lakh, said SEB Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Moka Sathi Babu.
The officials arrested Veeranki Venkataramana of Manthena village, Kankipadu mandal, Kondapalli Anand, Sk. Mahaboob Subhani and Sk. Rafi, natives of Vijayawada.
Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, Mr. Sathi Babu said Venkataramana, an agriculture labourer, joined hands to illegally transport liquor from Punjab. They deposited some amount in the account of a person of Punjab.
The accused waylaid a maize-laden lorry and brought the stocks meant to be transported to Arunachal Pradesh. The stocks were hidden in a hay stack at Manthena village.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP-Law and Order) V. Harshavardhan Raju said on a tip-off the teams seized the stocks. “The vehicle along with the seized stocks and the accused would be produced in the court,” the DCP said.
Gutkha seized
In a separate raid, the Commissioner’s Task Force police team led by Additional DCP K.V. Srinivas Rao, intercepted a van and seized gutkha products, valued about Rs.27 lakh. They arrested four persons in the case.
The gang were transporting 87 bags of gutkha packets and five gunny bags of tobacco products from Bengaluru, to be sold to retailers at Tadepallugudem, Jangareddygudem, Nallajerla, Ravulapalem and other towns in West and East Godavari districts, said Police Commissioner Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao.
