Thane ED gets boats to rein in liquor mafia

Foreign liquor, country liquor and chemicals have also been confiscated as ED officials were able to patrol Thane creek with these boats

The Thane Excise officials have been given eight patrolling boats to crackdown on the liquor mafia that has been increasingly using the water route to smuggle illicit liquor in Mumbai. In the past two days, the Excise Department has caught liquor worth over Rs 25 lakh and arrested 15 smugglers. The ED is keeping an eye on the smuggling of liquor through the water route, and will now patrol the waters even outside Thane.

Excise Commissioner Kantilal Umap has directed officials to take action against smugglers of liquor via Thane creek. The local police and the Excise Department had already been acting against those who manufacture liquor at Dombivli, Desai and Mumbra creeks.

Umap had discussed the patrolling in Thane creek with Thane District Collector Rajesh Narvekar. After this on May 20 the Collector handed over eight boats and a drone to the ED for patrolling in the creek. According to the ED, they registered a total of 25 cases on June 8 and 9 and seized liquor worth Rs 25,24,000 and arrested 15 people.

Foreign liquor, country liquor and chemicals have also been confiscated. From March 1, 2021 to June 11, 2021, a total of 708 cases have been registered and 409 liquor smugglers were arrested. Liquor worth Rs 2 crore has been confiscated.

Thane State Excise Department Superintendent Nitin Ghule told mid-day, "The Thane Collector has given eight boats for patrolling along the creek. This will help us rein in those who smuggle liquor into the gulf."

Eight
No. of boats Thane DC gave to the Excise officials