With The Lockdown In Place, Alcohol Prices In India's Grey Market Quadruple

Ever since the country was placed in a state of lockdown with only essential services running, many people reportedly started buying illegal alcohol to satisfy cravings.

According to Reuters, police officials have witnessed an increases in seizures of hooch (homemade liquor) which has also claimed lives of poor people in the past who couldn't afford branded liquor.

Indiatimes spoke to Jeet, a consumer who has paid obscene amounts of money to buy booze in Pune, Maharashta. Wishing to only give out his first name, he told us, "I bought Blender's Pride for Rs 700 for a quarter and bought 6 quarters for Rs 4200 plus 300 delivery charge."

Jeet

"I bought a crate of Budweiser beer for Rs 4,800 but there was no delivery charge because the delivery guy wanted some beers for personal use. For a bottle of Old Monk, I paid Rs 2,000," he added.

In Pune, the price of a Blender's Pride quarter is around Rs 250, a Budweiser beer crate for Rs 3,400 - Rs 3,600 and Old Monk for Rs 600-700.

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Another consumer named Manish told Reuters, ¡°Many are willing to pay even higher prices for liquor, but can't get any. I was lucky as I at least got some."

According to Google Trends, there has been a rise in online searches for ¡°How to make alcohol at home¡± during the week of March 22-28 in India. Incidentally, this was the same week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the nationwide lockdown.

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Since the lockdown has been extended, police officials are expecting a rise in the liquor prices more than what they already are. Since all alcohol shops are sealed except in a few states, people are not minding getting involved with the grey-market sellers.

An excise official from Maharashtra told Reuters, ¡°Even habitual drinkers hold limited stocks which must have been exhausted by now. In coming weeks, more and more consumers will try to buy from the grey market."

However, not everyone can afford to pay these exorbitant prices and have resorted to drinking homemade liquor which is also known as 'country liquor' or desi daaru.

A man named Naresh from Indore also told Reuters, ¡°Even hooch is so expensive. In normal circumstances I could have bought branded liquor at this price."

The report adds that a 180 ml hooch bottle which is normally sold for Rs 60 is now being sold at over Rs 250. It mentioned how two men lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh last week after consuming homemade liquor while five others had to be admitted to the hospital.

AFP (Indian police gather around containers of bootleg alcohol recovered in a raid) IMAGE FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

There have also been cases of people committing suicide due to the unavailability of liquor.