KOCHI: Onam season always keep the police and excise personnel busy. This year, however, both the forces have started preparing for the festival much in advance. Special drives have been initiated to check the flow of illicit liquor.

"Information has started coming in about the movement of liquor and we will be holding joint raids with excise officials," said K. Padmakumar, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ernakulam Range.

The high alert announced following the Mumbai serial blasts has come handy for the police. "Vehicle checking during night hours was intensified during the high alert. This will continue till the festival season," he said.

The intelligence wing of the police has been made active to collect more information about movement and storage of illicit liquor meant to be supplied during festival time.

Majority of the complaints from the city limits would be relating to adulteration of liquor, where illicitly brewed liquor would be sold under faked brand names.

"We have begun testing for quality of liquor samples randomly collected. Some seizure of illicit liquor have also been reported from different parts of the State," he said.

This indicates that those involved in the business have started preparing for the festival.

"Usually, the special drives were conducted a week or two immediately before the festival holidays. After noticing that by that time, the liquor movement would be completed, we decided to start our drive earlier," said V.C. Devassy, Assistant Excise Commissioner, Ernakulam Range.

This time, the Excise Department has started much in advance.

"For the last one week, we have been doing night patrols along the National Highways. Presence of excise officials has been ensured on the highway, especially during night hours," said Mr. Devassy.

With Onam being more than a month away, both the forces are confident of plugging all the loopholes for smuggling in illicit liquor.

Even though the district has fewer cases registered for illicit liquor brewing, compared to other districts, it has been noticed that there is a slight increase in the number of cases in recent past.

This was witnessed during the special drives conducted during last Onam and Christmas seasons, and also during Sivaratri festival at Aluva. The brewing activities in the district are mostly confined to areas like Kothamangalam and Angamali.

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