In a major crackdown on liquor smuggling, authorities in Palghar, Maharashtra, seized foreign liquor worth ₹31.53 lakh. The operation, led by the State Excise Department’s Dahanu office, took place in the Nareshwadi area along the Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway. The team intercepted an Eicher tempo carrying 300 boxes of foreign liquor, which was hidden under cardboard sheets. Despite the seizure, the smugglers managed to escape and remain at large.
Palghar, located near the borders of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Gujarat, has become a hotspot for smuggling activities. Smugglers frequently take advantage of the region’s porous borders to transport illegal alcohol, including counterfeit liquor from Diu-Daman and foreign brands, into Maharashtra. Although the State Excise Department conducts joint patrols, smugglers continue to bypass the heavily patrolled Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway, opting instead to transport the liquor through rural areas.
A special flying squad, led by State Excise Inspectors Sunil Deshmukh (Dahanu division) and Arun Chavan (Palghar division), set up a trap in Nareshwadi, where they successfully seized the liquor-filled tempo. The investigation revealed that the liquor was meant for sale in Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman Diu, and various parts of Maharashtra, including Palghar, Thane, and Mumbai.
