The Excise Intelligence team on Wednesday seized 1,575 liters of spirit that was smuggled in a pickup van in Kuriachira near Thrissur. 

Acting on a tip-off, the Excise team was conducting a vehicle search near the Thrissur North stand when a van sped away without stopping.  The officers immediately began a chase.  When the vehicles reached near St Mary's Street in Kuriachira, the van rammed into the Excise vehicle in an attempt to injure the officers. 

However, the officers managed to block the road and capture the van. The driver then jumped out of the vehicle and escaped by scaling a nearby compound wall.

The spirit was concealed beneath bags filled with tire re-treading materials and stored in 45 cans. Excise Intelligence officers Prasad and Jabbar led a team that carried out the seizure.