Excise officers manning the Aryankavu check-post have registered a record number of cases during the first eight months.
Circle inspector B. Suresh, who heads the check-post, said that 235 cases were registered during the period and 279 persons arrested in this connection. As many as 61 cases pertaining to ganja smuggling alone were instrumental for 71 arrests.
Compared to the cases registered this year, the check-post had registered only five cases during 2014; three cases during 2015, and 22 cases during 2016. Among those arrested were absconding accused persons in murder and other criminal cases, ganja smugglers, and even students from Kerala who were doing higher education courses in other States.
As much as 6.5 kg of ganja was seized from 71 arrested for ganja smuggling. Fifteen vehicles, including cars, two-wheelers and pick up vans, were taken into custody during the period in this connection. For trying to smuggle banned tobacco products, 32 cases were registered and about 50 persons arrested. Mr. Suresh said that about 1.5 lakh packets of such products were seized.
In one incident, hawala cash of ₹7.61 lakh was seized and two persons were arrested in this connection. In connection with tax evasion, more than 125 cases were registered through which the exchequer earned more than ₹4 lakh as fines. Mr. Suresh said that random checking of transport vehicles, trucks, cars and two-wheelers entering Kerala from Tamil Nadu had resulted in the registration of these cases.
Mr. Suresh said that supervisions from the Excise Deputy Commissioner (Kollam) K. Suresh Babu and Assistant Excise Commissioner Shaji S. Rajan plus a dedicated staff manning the check-post had helped in registering the achievement. Officers manning the check-post included sub-inspectors Jose Pratap, Biju M. Baby, and K. Madhusoodhanan..
