New Delhi, Apr 26 (PTI) The enforcement action by the Delhi government's excise department is expected to pick up pace in coming weeks with the deputation of 24 security personnel to check cross-border liquor smuggling and other irregularities, officials said on Wednesday.

Thirty-nine policemen, deployed with the excise intelligence bureau (EIB) and the excise department, were repatriated to the Delhi Police in August last year amid the raging controversy over alleged irregularities in implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.

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"We have recently been provided with 24 Delhi Police personnel and the enforcement action has already picked up. It is going to be intensified further in near future," a senior officer of the excise department said.

The securitymen, deputed at EIB and the excise department, include four sub inspectors and 10 head constables and constables each, he said.

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"We are also going to write to the authorities to provide us 20-25 more police personnel to further strengthen the enforcement activities," the officer noted.

Earlier, the excise department officials said the emphasis was to ensure effectiveness of enforcement activities of the department by active involvement of revenue officials like sub divisional magistrates and tehsildars.

The EIB is normally headed by an assistant commissioner of police, and the unit keeps a check on interstate smuggling of various kinds of intoxicants and drugs.

It also gathers intelligence for detecting the manufacture and sale of illicit liquor and drugs, illegal serving of liquor at unlicensed premises, and liaises with various units of Delhi Police to combat bootlegging.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)