Gujarat SMC seizes ₹1.49 crore liquor on Ahmedabad expressway, driver arrested
Synopsis
Gujarat's State Monitoring Cell intercepted a Tata truck carrying nearly 50,000 bottles of IMFL worth ₹1.49 crore on the Vadodara-Ahmedabad expressway — the latest in a string of crores-scale seizures that reveal a well-organised interstate smuggling corridor running from Rajasthan into dry Gujarat.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat SMC seized 49,224 bottles of IMFL worth ₹1,49,22,312 near Bibipura village , Ahmedabad Rural, on 9–10 June .
Total seized property — including the truck and a mobile phone — valued at ₹1,74,27,512 .
Truck driver Iqbalkhan Khan of Rajasthan's Jaipur district was arrested; three more accused , including alleged supplier Surendra Gurjar , named as wanted.
Case registered under the Gujarat Prohibition Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 .
Gujarat border check-posts seized liquor worth ₹38.89 crore up to 25 January this year, per Gujarat Legislative Assembly data.
The Gujarat State Monitoring Cell (SMC) seized Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth over ₹1.49 crore during a prohibition raid on the Vadodara-Ahmedabad Express Highway near Bibipura village in Ahmedabad Rural district, officials confirmed on Wednesday, 10 June. The overnight operation netted 49,224 bottles of IMFL and led to the arrest of a Rajasthan-based truck driver.
How the Operation Unfolded
Acting on specific intelligence, an SMC team led by Police Inspector Y.J. Rathod intercepted a Tata truck on the night of 9–10 June near Bibipura in Daskroi taluka. The truck was allegedly transporting a large consignment of liquor into Gujarat in violation of the state's prohibition laws.
Investigators recovered 1,300 boxes containing 49,224 bottles of IMFL valued at ₹1,49,22,312. The truck itself was valued at ₹25 lakh, and a mobile phone worth ₹5,000 was also seized. The total estimated value of all seized property stands at ₹1,74,27,512.
Arrest and Charges
The truck driver, identified as Iqbalkhan Khan, a resident of Morad village in Dudu tehsil of Rajasthan's Jaipur district, was arrested and handed over to Vivekanand Nagar Police Station for further investigation. A case has been registered under Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2) and 116(B) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, along with Sections 336 and 339 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Police have named three wanted accused in the case — alleged liquor supplier Surendra Gurjar, the truck's owner, and an unidentified individual in Rajkot who was reportedly the intended recipient of the consignment. Investigators are working to map the full interstate supply chain.
A Pattern of Large-Scale Seizures
This operation is part of a broader enforcement surge across Gujarat in recent months. Earlier in June, the SMC seized liquor worth over ₹1.51 crore near Bharudi village in Rajkot district, recovering 41,580 bottles of IMFL with total property seized valued at over ₹1.81 crore.
In January, police across central Gujarat conducted a series of operations in Mahisagar, Vadodara, and Panchmahal districts, seizing liquor worth over ₹2 crore. The single largest haul in that round involved liquor valued at nearly ₹97.4 lakh recovered from a truck on the Indore-Ahmedabad highway.
Scale of the Smuggling Challenge
According to figures presented in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly earlier this year, authorities seized liquor worth ₹38.89 crore at border check-posts with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh up to 25 January — underscoring the persistent pressure on Gujarat's prohibition regime from neighbouring states. The interstate nature of the smuggling networks, with supply originating in Rajasthan and distribution points as far as Rajkot, points to organised logistics that enforcement agencies are working to dismantle.
Point of View
Not opportunistic violations. The interstate supply chain, with Rajasthan as source and Rajkot as a distribution node, suggests logistics sophistication that sporadic truck interceptions alone cannot dismantle. The ₹38.89 crore seized at border check-posts in under a month is a headline figure, but it also implies a far larger volume slipping through undetected. The real policy question is whether enforcement intensity alone can hold the line, or whether the economics of prohibition demand a broader rethink.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Gujarat police seize on the Vadodara-Ahmedabad expressway?
Gujarat's State Monitoring Cell seized 49,224 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor packed in 1,300 boxes, valued at ₹1,49,22,312, from a Tata truck near Bibipura village in Ahmedabad Rural on the night of 9–10 June. The total value of all seized property, including the truck, was estimated at ₹1,74,27,512.
Who was arrested in the Gujarat liquor seizure case?
Truck driver Iqbalkhan Khan, a resident of Morad village in Dudu tehsil of Rajasthan's Jaipur district, was arrested and handed over to Vivekanand Nagar Police Station. Three more accused — including alleged supplier Surendra Gurjar and the truck owner — have been named as wanted.
Under which laws has the case been registered?
The case has been registered under Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2) and 116(B) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, along with Sections 336 and 339 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
How significant is liquor smuggling in Gujarat?
According to figures disclosed in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly earlier this year, authorities seized liquor worth ₹38.89 crore at border check-posts with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh up to 25 January alone. Multiple crore-scale seizures in recent months point to a persistent and organised interstate smuggling network.
What other major liquor seizures has Gujarat recorded recently?
Earlier in June, the SMC seized liquor worth over ₹1.51 crore near Bharudi village in Rajkot district. In January, operations across Mahisagar, Vadodara, and Panchmahal districts netted liquor worth over ₹2 crore, with the largest single haul valued at nearly ₹97.4 lakh on the Indore-Ahmedabad highway.
