The district Prohibition Enforcement Wing has registered 4,246 cases during 2014-15. This has entailed seizure of 111 four-wheelers and 249 two-wheelers.
According to the office of Superintendent of Police, during the period fines to the tune of Rs.17.86 lakh were collected and revenue to the tune of Rs.1.17 crore was fetched by way of auctioning of the vehicles seized.
Vigilance along the prohibition check-posts set up on seven major routes identified along Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh borders have also been beefed up to prevent smuggling of illicit arrack and Indian Made Foreign Liquor.
Further, awareness interventions have been made in 29 border villages viewed as susceptible to recruits for illicit arrack smuggling from across the border.
Such villages, with acute poverty and lack of livelihood avenues have been focussed on to wean away people from taking to smuggling of liquor, toddy or illicit distilling of sprit.
Also, in a bid to reign in drunk driving, roadside eateries and dabhas that permit liquor in their premises have been booked and action has been initiated against them.
Further, the prohibition enforcement wing has recommended to the Revenue Department for cancellation of licences of 21 such dabhas for violations.
In addition to punitive measures as part of prohibition enforcement, over 80 first-time offenders were granted relief under Section 110 (g) for good behaviour and over 70 prohibition offenders were granted relief on execution of a bond for good behaviour under 52 (a) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act.
Similarly, under the Rehabilitation Scheme for old offenders, a chance at rehabilitation and alternative livelihood has been made possible.
The administration has dispensed with funds to the tune of Rs.1.01 crore to 448 persons for alternative livelihoods, including livestock rearing, petty shops etc.
Five men, identified as beyond rehabilitation process have been booked under the Goondas Act for repeated prohibition violations.
