$250,713 Worth of Illegal Liquor Bulldozed in Bizarre Public Display by Police

Over 62,000 bottles of illegal liquor has been reduced to rubble by police in India. (Photo: Cottonbro/Pexels)

In an unusual public display by police in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), India, over 62,000 illegal liquor bottles were flattened by a bulldozer. The event took place in late July but has recently garnered new attention when videos of the event recirculated on social media.

Officials of the Special Enforcement Bureau and the NTR District Police carried out the bulldozing event after seizing the liquor from multiple police stations in the area over the past two years, according to India Today.

An estimated ₹2 crore ($250,713) of Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL) was demolished in the operation. The destruction of the NDPL may seem excessively wasteful; however, illegal liquor sales contribute to massive losses of excise revenue for the nation’s treasury. The Times of India stated that “nearly 75% of the booze sold across the state is non-duty paid.” Alcohol consumption remained the same while revenue from liquor taxes was reportedly low.

The NDPL issue is difficult to subdue. Consumers prefer to purchase cheaper products. As in any retail space, a good deal is hard to beat.

As each carefully placed bottle was reduced to rubble, a clear statement on the continued efforts to crush NDPL was made. “Stern action will be taken against liquor smugglers, sellers and ID liquor manufacturers in NTR district,” Special Enforcement Bureau sleuths stated.

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