Assam-Meghalaya liquor smuggling racket busted, Dimoria excise team felicitated

The Assam Excise Department has seized 123 cartons of beer and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) allegedly meant for sale only in Meghalaya, uncovering an interstate liquor smuggling network operating along the Assam-Meghalaya border.

The consignment was intercepted during an operation by the Dimoria Excise Circle at Sonapur Toll Plaza. Officials stopped a commercial truck and found the liquor during a search.

The investigation subsequently led officers to a cargo warehouse at Moraxali in Paltan Bazar, Guwahati. A raid conducted by the Deputy Superintendent of Excise, Dimoria, found CCTV footage that allegedly confirmed the warehouse as the point from where the consignment had been loaded.

Two employees of the warehouse were taken into custody, along with the truck driver. The driver was later remanded to judicial custody by a judicial magistrate.

The operation was carried out under the leadership of senior excise officer Pritam Purkaistha and the supervision of Kamrup Metro Superintendent of Excise Debajit Nath.

Following the seizure and arrests, the Excise Department on August 17 felicitated members of the Dimoria team at its office. Commissioner of Excise Jitu Doly, Additional Commissioner Sanjib Medhi, Joint Commissioner Pranjal Bora, Deputy Commissioner Lakhinandan Baruah and Debajit Nath were present during the recognition.

The department said the operation demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led enforcement and coordination between field officers and investigators.

The seizure also highlights the movement of liquor across state borders despite restrictions on the sale of certain products outside their permitted market. The investigation into the supply chain is continuing.