GUWAHATI, June 12 - Taking a stern view of the unabated smuggling of liquor from Arunachal Pradesh, the Assam excise department has directed the manufacturing units and companies exporting liquor from the neighbouring state to or through Assam to deposit a bank guarantee of Rs 25 lakh.
�The lump sum bank guarantee of Rs 25 lakh is to be deposited by the companies/ manufactories as a security deposit for due observance of the provisions of the rules and terms and conditions of permits etc. The security deposit shall be forfeited for any
violation reported,� an order by the additional commissioner of excise SK Medhi said.
Besides, all vehicles carrying liquor consignments originating from Arunachal Pradesh for export to other states or transport within Arunachal Pradesh and passing through Assam must have digital locks and GPS devices installed.
�The details of the permits such as place of origin and destination, name of product, quantity of the consignment, date of validity etc., must be displayed clearly on the front wind screen of the vehicles. Information of consignments to be dispatched along with the basic information/details must be shared with the Assam Excise Department by uploading the details on the website of the department well in advance,� the order further said.
The vehicles carrying such consignments will henceforth be escorted in convoys under the supervision of excise officials up to the designated points.
In the year 2018-19, 7,120 cases of liquor smuggling were detected in the State, leading to the arrest of 4,927 violators. A total of 1.80 lakh litres of smuggled liquor were seized during the period and a fine of Rs 18 lakh imposed on the violators.
