Chennai, May 10(BPNS)

While TASMAC sales had crossed 900 crore on Saturday and Sunday with tipplers collecting and stocking liquor to last the lockdown period, police have arrested more than 100 people in Madurai and around 70 people in Trichy over stocking liquor in large quantities.

Raids conducted at several places by the police and the Prohibition Enforcement Wing, has unearthed liquor bottles being stocked for sale during lockdown at premium rates.

Muthumaran , a trader at Madurai was arrested after around 300 bottles of cheap quality liquor was seized from a shop owned by him. Police officials while speaking to BPNS said that in raids on Saturday and Sunday they have seized more than 3000 bottles from various places in Madurai.

Most of the liquor seized are of cheap quality and police said that those arrested have admitted that they would sell this three to four times the face value and pocket profit.

In Trichy also the police seized around 1800 bottles of liquor and arrested 70 people for having stocked liquor to sell during lockdown. Here also cheap quality liquor was seized as this would mean immediate sale as takers are more.

Nagaraju, SHO, Trichy while speaking to BPNS said, “We are conducting raids following tip offs and have arrested around 70 people and seized a good quantity of bottles. We will continue to raid the premises of those who are stocking liquor”.

Tamil Nadu has enforced a strict lockdown from May 10 to May 24 and all the TASMAC shops are shut down. This has led to a huge buying spree of liquor from the outlets leading to a record collection in these shops on Saturday and Sunday.