Muzaffarpur: The excise department is planning to approach the state government for permission to debar bootleggers who were arrested twice for smuggling liquor from the district.

District magistrate (DM) Dharmendra Kumar told The Telegraph he has sought a proposal from the excise department in this connection. Excise superintendent Dinbandhu said he was busy preparing the proposal following which permission will be sought to keep bootleggers at bay.

The DM said he went through the list of bootleggers and found around 20 liquor smugglers had been arrested twice or thrice with liquor consignments. "The list of arrested bootleggers in the police stations concerned is being checked. Many more names will emerge," the DM said.

"There are at least 20 big players involved in the smuggling of liquor from adjoining states," excise superintendent Dinbandhu said. DM Dharmendra said he has asked authorities to expedite surveillance to nab liquor smugglers.

Liquor haul

Excise department seized 264 cartons of foreign liquor from a truck container in Ahroliya village under Baroraj police station on Tuesday night.