Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Dec 10: Liquor worth Rs 2.7 lac was foiled by a team of state's excise department while attempting to smuggle to Karnataka.

Department sources reveal that the liquor was smuggled to lure voters for the upcoming panchayat elections.

Jitendra Adpoikar, the head of the team intercepted the vehicle while it was attempting to cross the border via the Mollem checkpost on Goa-Karnataka state border. When asked to open the carrier, the driver escaped abandoning the tempo. "We were lucky enough to intercept the liquor laden tempo. It would have given us the slip if it was not for the two trucks loaded with pig iron that had been halted for routine border checking," the officer said.

The team seized 78 boxes which included 66 boxes of brandy priced at Rs 170 each bottle, one box of whiskey costing Rs 600 a bottle, five boxes of another whiskey Rs 360 per bottle, six boxes of a brandy priced at Rs 500 per bottle and 12 boxes of 750 ml soda bottles.

The sub-inspector said that the seized liquor would cost about 2.7 lac.