Maharashtra: Rs 1 crore illicit liquor seized in Thane; 2 arrested

Excise personnel have seized illicit Indian Made Foreign Liquor IMFL valued at Rs 1 crore from a tempo in Maharashtras Thane district and arrested two persons officials said reported news agency PTIActing on a tipoff the excise sleuths intercepted the tempo on the PanvelMumbra Road in Uttarshiv area on Tuesday nightThey found 1000 boxes of IMFL valued at Rs 10560000 and manufactured in Goa the sale of which is prohibited in Maharashtra said Pravin Tambe Superintendent of State Excise Thane reported PTIThe tempo occupants Mohammad Samshad Salmani driver and Devendra Khumaram Meghwal were arrested and the vehicle was impounded the official saidDRI Mumbai seizes over 42 kg highquality hydroponic weed worth Rs 42 crore at Mumbai Airport two arrestedIn another case in a major success under continuing Operation Weed Out the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence DRI has seized 4234 kg of highgrade Hydroponic Weed valued at approximately Rs42 crore in the illicit market from two passengers arriving from Bangkok at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport CSMIA on SundayAccording to the release of the Ministry of Finance acting on specific intelligence DRI officers intercepted the two passengers shortly after arrival and subjected their baggage to detailed examination The search led to the recovery of 21 food packets including noodles and biscuits which were found to contain Hydroponic Weed concealed ingeniously within regular food packaging Field tests using the NDPS kit confirmed the presence of narcotic substancesThe contraband weighing 4234 kg was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances NDPS Act 1985 and both passengers were arrestedThis marks the second major drug bust by DRI in just three days following the seizure of 47 kg of cocaine worth R s47 crore on Friday 31102025 in which five persons including carriers financers handlers and distributors were arrested Together these operations have led to the recovery of over Rs100 crore worth of narcotics in the past three days dealing a decisive blow to organised drugtrafficking networks operating through Indias western gatewaysAdditionally under Operation Weed Out the DRI has seized 2929 kg of Hydroponic weed at various airports in IndiaThe DRI continues to remain vigilant against evolving smuggling trends particularly the increasing use of food packets and consumable items for drug concealment and Indian nationals as carriersThe DRI stands firm in its commitment to building a Nasha Mukt Bharat by relentlessly intercepting narcotics dismantling international trafficking networks and safeguarding the health wellbeing and security of citizensWith inputs from PTI and ANI