Thrissur: A surprise vehicle inspection on Friday morning by the anti-drug squad of Thrissur city police seized 375 bottles of foreign liquor that were being smuggled from Mahe aboard a car.
Officers part of the inspection said the seized bottles were worth at least Rs 1,000 each. The alcohol was being transported to Ernakulam on the occasion of Onam, they said.
The police intercepted and arrested Impichammu Veettil Mubas (33) of Govindapuram, Kozhikode, who was driving the Volkswagen Jetta, at Ashwini Junction.
"During the inspection, the vehicle's lock of the trunk was found jammed or dysfunctional; it could not be opened. As the cops grew suspicious, a mechanic was brought from the vicinity to unlock the trunk soon after. When it was finally opened, 375 bottles of foreign liquor were found inside," a police officer said.
Several cases pertaining to the smuggling of brown sugar and illegal liquor are registered against the accused at Kozhikode, Vadakara, Chalakudy and Chavakkad stations, the police said.
The investigation team consisted of East police station sub-inspectors Sarath Soman, and M R Arunkumar, alongside members of the district Anti-Narcotics squad.
