SEB steps up vigilance as bootlegging rises in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: Officials of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) have stepped up measures to control the menace of non-duty paid liquor (NDPL) and illicit distillery (ID) liquor in the state following an increase in smuggling after liquor shops were opened in neighbouring Telangana.

The SEB was set up recently to curb illegal transportation of sand and liquor in the state.

NDPL smuggling has spiked in districts sharing a border with Telangana, with over 300 cases in Krishna district and an almost equal number in Guntur. The rise in cases has been attributed to the variance in price between the states and curbs on liquor sale in Andhra Pradesh. Smugglers have been making use of the land border in Krishna and West Godavari districts as well as the Krishna river to transport liquor.

Speaking to TOI, commissioner of SEB, Vinit Brijlal said the SEB has deputed young Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to contain smuggling of NDPL and ID liquor. Brijlal observed that the bureau has been able to detect many cases with the participation of SEB officials and other young officers. “We are also in the process of enhancing out intelligence capabilities, both technical and human intelligence, to make out borders foolproof,” he said.