Over 1,100 liquor bottles seized; 10 held

The Railway Police have arrested nine persons, including a woman, over the last 10 days and seized 1,100 liquor bottles illegally brought in a Mysuru bound train for Thoothukudi.

Following the lockdown in Tamil Nadu due to COVID-19 pandemic, the government had closed down TASMAC outlets as a preventive measure.

While trains, which were being operated were not getting adequate passengers due to the lockdown.

Utilising the opportunity, some of the bootleggers began smuggling liquor bottles from Karnataka and bringing them in a clandestine manner.

The bottles, which were procured for ₹300 and ₹500, were being sold at ₹1,000 and ₹1,500 each, a police officer here said.

On May 31, two passengers, including a woman, from Thoothukudi were arrested after they confessed to having procured over 100 bottles. The following day, the police team raided the coach and found that two persons from Madurai had 83 bottles. Two days ago, three persons from Kovilpatti and Madurai were held as they had about 300 bottles with them.

All the accused were held and the liquor bottles seized by the Railway Police.

A senior officer said that surveillance had been intensified.