PUNE: The Pune state excise department recently intercepted a pickup van transporting illicit Indian-made foreign liquor ( IMFL ) and seized material, including the liquor and duplicate labels worth over Rs12.48 lakh.The liquor was being smuggled into the city by a 24-year-old man and his aides.The IMFL was being transported to the city to be sold illegally. Excise officials were given a tip off about the miscreants transporting the illegal liquor from Dadra and Nagar Haveli over the Nashik-Pune highway.Inspector Deepak Parab of the state excise department, Talegaon and Narayangaon division, told TOI that the miscreants were selling IMFL of various brands with duplicate labels portraying the liquor to be produced and priced in Maharashtra. "Liquor in Dadra and Nagar Haveli is cheaper than state liquor. A 180ml bottle of IMFL there costs Rs60. The criminals basically smuggled liquor from there, stuck duplicate labels on the bottles and were meaning to sell it in the state at Rs160, per bottle," said Parab.Upon being tipped off about the racket, the excise officials searched the vehicle being used for transportation and came across 35 boxes of smuggled IMFL of different brands. "We then apprehended the vehicle's driver, a 24-year-old Junnar resident. On questioning, he told us that the illegal liquor was meant to be supplied to a permit room in Talegaon. We later nabbed others involved in the racket, apart from seizing all the fake labels and printing equipment used to make duplicate labels," said Parab.All culprits involved in the racket have been caught and will be produced before a Junnar court.

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