Huge quantities of illicit toddy and spirit were seized in the district today and five persons were arrested in connection with the incidents, excise officials said.
A team of state excise officials led by K S Shaji, Circle Inspector, Kalpetta seized 2795 litres of illicit toddy at Kavumannath in the district.
Four persons, identified as Sreeraj (29), Kumar (49), Rajan (47) and Bharath (24), were arrested in connection with the seizure.
In another incident, sleuths of excise department seized 1885 litres of spirit kept in 35 cans in a private plantation at Padingnagiri in the district and one Shaji Vargheese (40) was arrested, officials said.
They will be produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate court at Kalpetta tomorrow, officials added.
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Uttar Pradesh Police has, in the meantime, asked its officials to maintain an online record of fake currency notes seized after January 1 as directed by the Union Home Ministry.
Director General of Police Javeed Ahmad recently wrote to all Superintendents of Police in the state to maintain the records in a web-enabled Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) software prepared by the National Crime Record Bureau (NRCB).
The Union Home Ministry has directed the state police to maintain such records in the wake of the demonetisation drive of the central government announced on November 8.
In Uttar Pradesh, 107 FIRs were registered in 2015 in connection with cases related to the seizure of FICN and the number stood at 117 this year, according to Ahmad.
He said 112 people were arrested last year and 86 this year in connection with cases related to fake currency notes.
In 2015, FICN having a face value of Rs 1.05 crore were seized, while in 2016 face value of the seizure was over Rs 48.83 lakh.
