In a major crackdown, two individuals involved in smuggling counterfeit foreign liquor worth ₹84.41 lakh from Goa were arrested by the Local Crime Branch and the State Excise Department in Satara district. The operation took place around 3 AM on Tuesday near Borgaon village in Satara taluka. The arrested individuals have been identified as truck driver Sachin Vijay Jadhav (age 35, resident of Khanapur, Sangli) and truck owner Zamir Haroon Patel (age 45, resident of Agashivnagar, Malkapur, Karad). According to police sources, Inspector Arun Devkar of the Local Crime Branch received a tip-off that Sachin Jadhav was transporting a consignment of liquor from Goa to Gujarat. He immediately alerted Excise Inspector Madhav Chavan, Assistant Police Inspector Dhondiram Valwekar, Rohit Farne, and Police Sub-Inspector Vishwas Shingade.
The team laid a trap near the Urmodi river on the highway within the limits of Borgaon village. When the truck arrived from Goa around 3 AM, the officers intercepted it. Sachin Jadhav was alone in the vehicle. During interrogation, he was questioned about the contents of the truck, leading to a thorough inspection.Inside the truck, the team discovered fake liquor of various brands amounting to ₹84,41,040. This is reportedly the first instance of such a large seizure of counterfeit liquor in Satara district.Upon further questioning, Jadhav revealed that the consignment belonged to Zamir Patel, who was later arrested in Karad. Police are now investigating who in Gujarat was to receive the smuggled liquor.The team involved in the operation included constables Atish Ghadge, Sabir Mulla, Amol Mane, Sharad Beble, Amit Sapkal, Pravin Fadtare, and Jaywant Khandke.
How the Liquor Was Found to Be Fake
Excise Inspector Madhav Chavan confirmed that the seized liquor from Goa was counterfeit. The bottles did not carry any authentic brand labels, and the alcohol strength was not consistent with the standard 42.8%. Some bottles had a strength of 36, while others measured at 40.The estimated value of the counterfeit liquor was ₹84 lakh, and the truck was valued at ₹16.5 lakh, bringing the total seized property to approximately ₹1.91 crore.