Elections 2024: Andhra police seize Rs 107.96 Cr cash, Rs 58.70 Cr worth liquor; 7,305 held

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh police have seized Rs 107.96 crore cash and arrested 7,305 persons during the Assembly and Parliament elections in the state.

“Apart from cash, the police and SEB officials seized illicit liquor worth Rs 58.70 crore," said DGP Harish Kumar Gupta in a statement.

During elections, police were at the forefront to curb all illegal activities, particularly those related to the inducement and gratification of items such as illegal cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and freebies/ other items.

Therefore, police went into a hyperactive mode to curb the flow of Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL) from Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Puducherry.

According to the DGP, there are a total of 150 checkposts established on the border of AP, including 31 Integrated Checkposts manned by Police, SEB, Commercial Taxes, Transport, and Revenue. Even 35 Border Mobile Patrolling Parties and 15 temporary checkposts have been established to curb all types of inducements.

The department is working closely and gathering intelligence inputs and employs various strategies tailored to different regions to prevent the illegal movement of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals, and freebies/ other items including cross-border smuggling, and storage, especially to stop the distribution of such items.

Comparison from 2019-2024:

During the 2019 elections, the monetary value of illicit cash seized was Rs 41.80 Cr. However, in the 2024 elections, the value of cash seized was Rs 107.96, and 7305 accused persons were arrested.

During the 2019 elections, the monetary value of illicit liquor (NDPL, DPL, FJ Wash) seized was Rs. 8.07 Crs. However, in the 2024 elections, the value of illicit liquor seized was Rs. 58.70 Cr. (Police- 15.80 Cr. & SEB – 42.90 Cr.) and 61543 accused persons were arrested.

During the 2019 elections, the monetary value of illicit drugs seized was Rs. 5.04 Crs. However, in the 2024 elections, the value of illicit drugs seized was Rs. 35.61 Cr. (Police- 7.16 Cr and SEB – 28.45 Cr.) and 1730 accused persons were arrested.

During the 2019 elections, the monetary value of Precious metals seized was Rs 27.17 Crs. However, in the 2024 elections, the value of Precious metals seized was Rs 123.62 Cr. and 42 accused persons were arrested.

During the 2019 elections, the monetary value of Freebies/ other items seized was Rs. 10.63 Crs. However, in the 2024 elections, the value of freebies/other items seized was Rs. 16.98 Cr. and 233 accused persons were arrested.

A total no of 3466 vehicles have been seized.

During the GE-2024, the police department in coordination with all other enforcement agencies worked hard and seized large amounts of inducements.