Dry Gujarat? Rs 148 cr liquor seized in two years

Gujarat is officially a Dry State, but figures related to seizure of country and foreign liquor would suggest that liquor flows freely in the state. By the government’s own admission in the House on Wednesday, liquor worth almost Rs150 crore was seized in the state in the last two years.

According to data provided by the state home minister in written responses to questions of different Congress MLAs in the assembly, liquor worth Rs147.78 crore was seized in 32 districts in the state in 2016 and 2017.

The official information showed that police seized 3.13 lakh litre country liquor over the two-year period, while seizure of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) was to the tune of 90.22 lakh bottles. More than 20.29 lakh beer bottles were also seized.

The minister’s reply also showed that as many as 16,033 vehicles, which were being used to illegally transport liquor in the state, were seized in the two years. This translates to 22 vehicles per day, or roughly one every hour.

Opposition Congress alleged that the Prohibition Policy exists in the state only on paper, and liquor is freely available.

“The quantum of liquor seized is just the tip of the iceberg, and the actual amount smuggled in the state is several times more. Bootleggers are operating in connivance with police and the state government,” Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi alleged.