The State Government’s ambition to make Karnataka an ‘arrack-free’ State from July 1, was challenged by some bootleggers on Day One of the ban.

The Excise department on Sunday swooped down on peddlers and raided hideouts where a large quantity of illicit arrack was stocked, to be sold illegally. As many as 24,750 litres of illicit arrack and 2,500 litres of toddy were seized, besides detaining 15 persons in this connection.

In Bangalore Rural district, several cases of banned liquor being sold illegally were reported and the Excise department was successful in nabbing five persons and seizing a considerable amount of arrack. In Channapatna alone, 19,200 litres of arrack was seized when it was being transported to the nearby villages. Similarly, at Magadi Taluk, 2,000 litres including 20,000 sachets was seized along with three vehicles.

In Bangalore Rural District alone, goods worth Rs 8.65 lakh including vehicles were confiscated. While in Bangalore, five persons were arrested including one woman and 4,655 sachets seized.

At Kodanahalli, Excise officials raided a house and seized 1,300 sachets of 100 ml arrack and at Whitefield 2,300 sachets were confisticated with one person arrested. Similarly, at RPC Layout, Cholanayakana Halli one person was arrested for selling arrack and 125 sachets were seized. 

With the ban on arrack imposed, it was also time for the spurious Indian Made Liquor liquor (IML) to enter the market and tap potential customers, as there were instances of spurious liquor being seized at Hoskote with Excise officials seizing 25 cases of spurious IML.