The district-level People’s Committee has decided that stringent action will be taken against the illegal sale of pan masala and other such intoxicants in the district.
A report submitted by Deputy Commissioner of the Excise Department K. Karunakaran at a meeting held in the District Collector’s chamber said that as many as 148 cases had been registered by the Excise Department between May 9 and June 20.
Around 130 people had been taken into custody. As much as 697 litres of foreign liquor, 29 litres of liquor smuggled from Mahe, eight litres of arrack, and 450 g of ganja were seized. As many as 19,525 vehicles were checked, of which five were confiscated.
People’s committees were convened at the panchayat and the taluk levels and various awareness programmes, including seven classes and 11 plays, were conducted by the department.
Raids and anti-drug and alcohol measures had been intensified in the Kannur, Taliparamba, and Koothuparamba excise circles. The department had succeeded in curbing the production of spurious liquor to a considerable extent, the report said.
The meeting was presided over by Deputy Collector K. Gopalan. Sunny Joseph, MLA, Police and Excise department officials, and members of various organisations attended the meeting.
