The city is prepared to celebrate Christmas and New Year. However, to control the flow of illicit liquor in the city during the celebration, the state excise department has been carrying out an operation against illicit liquor hoarding in the city.

During such an operation on Sunday morning, the excise team recovered illicit liquor worth Rs73,530 stored in a daily needs shop in the Harsul area. The liquor was meant for sale during Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The squad arrested the shop owner, Suresh Babulal Chavan, and a case has been registered against him.

The squad conducted the raid at the shop and house in the Harsul area following a tip. The squad found 69 bottles of 180 ml Macdowell’s whiskey, 30 bottles of Officers’ Choice, 50 bottles of Imperial Blue, 74 bottles of Royal Stag, seven bottles of Royal Challenge, 480 Santra country-liquor, 50 bottles of 90 ml country liquor, all amounting to Rs73,530. The squad seized the bottles and registered a case against the shop owner.

The action was executed under the guidance of Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi, Joint Commissioner Prasad Surve, Deputy Commissioner Sangeeta Darekar, Superintendent Santosh Zagade and Deputy Superintendent Gunaji Kshirsagar, by Inspector Anand Chaudhary, Second Inspector Priyanka Rathor, Punam Chavan, Renuka Kamble, Ganesh Nagve, Sarvashree Chetan Wankhede, Hanmant Swami, Nikhil Kakde, Vinayak Chavan and others.