Thane Crime: Excise Department Arrests 3 Individuals For Illegal Possession Of 352 Foreign Liquor Bottles Worth Over ₹18 Lakh

Thane: The Thane State Excise Department has arrested three individuals, including a travel agent, for allegedly possessing 352 bottles of foreign liquor worth over Rs 18 lakh. The liquor was transported from Delhi and Haryana to Thane.

The accused have been identified as Arun Kumar Poptani, Suraj Shukla, and Deepak Nankani. According to an official, the department received information on May 28 about a shop located at Bharat Chowk near Anil Hotel in Ulhasnagar that was allegedly storing liquor illegally.

Upon raiding the shop, authorities discovered 352 bottles of various brands of foreign liquor, which had been imported without authorized permission. The bottles were subsequently confiscated.

Following the raid, a vehicle was seized and travel agent Arun Kumar Poptani was arrested. During the preliminary investigation, he revealed the name of another suspect, Suraj Shukla.

The team then raided a residential society located at Madhuban Chowk in Nehru Chowk, Ulhasnagar, where additional foreign liquor was recovered. A third raid in Ambernath led to the discovery of more liquor and the arrest of Deepak Nankani.

An FIR has been filed against the three accused under Maharashtra Prohibition Act. They were produced in court and remanded to police custody for further investigation.

Pravin Tambe, Superintendent of the Thane Excise Department, stated, "Based on a tip-off, we raided three locations and seized 352 bottles of foreign liquor that had been imported and stored without permission. Thereafter, we arrested the suspects. Further investigation into the incident is ongoing."

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