Imphal: Manipur Police, in coordination with State Excise officials, seized 86,280 litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from the southern Sugnu area in Kakching district.
One alleged smuggler, responsible for transporting the illegal consignment from Silchar in Assam to Manipur via National Highway 37, was also arrested during the raid on Wednesday, police reported on Thursday.
Kakching Police received a tip-off that liquor was being smuggled into the Sugnu area and sought assistance from the concerned police station. Acting on the information, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising Excise officials was formed, and both technical and ground intelligence were activated.
Police said that later on Wednesday evening, Laishram Rajib Singh (37), a resident of Jiri Kalinagar Part-III and currently sheltering at Sugnu Makha Leikai in Kakching district, was arrested from the Korsantabi area under Sugnu Police Station in Kakching district.
From his possession, the following were seized:
(i) 84 bottles of 500 ml beer of different brands;
(ii) 96 bottles of Old Monk (180 ml each);
(iii) 72 bottles of Old Monk (375 ml each);
(iv) 24 bottles of Iconiq White (375 ml each); and
(v) one four-wheeler.
The seized liquor, the impounded vehicle, and the accused have been handed over to the Excise Department for necessary legal proceedings under the Manipur Liquor Policy Act, 1991.