Gujarat liquor bust: 7,164 IMFL bottles worth ₹26.81 lakh seized in Ahmedabad
Synopsis
Gujarat's prohibition enforcement recorded another major haul on Independence Day — 7,164 sealed IMFL bottles worth ₹26.81 lakh pulled from a UP-registered truck at the Bagodra toll plaza. With two more large seizures in the same week totalling over ₹2.5 crore in contraband, the pattern points to an active inter-state supply network that authorities are now working to dismantle.
Key Takeaways
Bagodra Police seized 7,164 IMFL bottles worth ₹26.81 lakh from a truck at the Bagodra toll plaza on 15 August .
Total value of seized property — including the truck and a mobile phone — stood at ₹41,94,708 .
Mohammad Ayub Nizamuddin Sheikh , 50 , of Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh , was arrested; suspect Rohit Sharma of Basti, UP is being traced.
On 13 August , a separate seizure near Vav-Tharad netted 31,836 bottles worth around ₹1.20 crore .
Ahmedabad Rural Police also recently seized 18,000 IMFL bottles worth ₹1.04 crore near the Vataman-Bagodara highway .
Bagodra Police in Ahmedabad Rural district seized 7,164 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) valued at ₹26.81 lakh from a truck intercepted at the Bagodra toll plaza on 15 August, police said. The total value of the seized property — including the truck and a mobile phone — was estimated at ₹41.94 lakh.
How the Seizure Unfolded
Police Inspector H.C. Gohil and personnel from Bagodra Police Station were conducting routine vehicle checks at the toll plaza when Constable Jaydeepsinh Bhupatsinh received a tip-off about liquor being transported in a truck bearing a Uttar Pradesh number plate. Acting swiftly on the intelligence, officers intercepted and searched the vehicle.
Inside, they found 342 boxes containing 7,164 company-sealed glass and plastic IMFL bottles, valued at ₹26,81,088. The truck itself was valued at ₹15 lakh, and a mobile phone worth ₹5,000 was also seized, bringing the total confiscated property to ₹41,94,708.
Arrests and Accused
Mohammad Ayub Nizamuddin Sheikh, 50, a resident of Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested in connection with the case. Police are also searching for Rohit Sharma, a resident of Basti in Uttar Pradesh, who allegedly supplied the liquor.
A third individual — reportedly the one who ordered the consignment — remains unidentified, and police say further accused may surface as the investigation progresses. Authorities are working to establish the source and intended destination of the consignment.
Part of a Wider Crackdown in Gujarat
The Bagodra seizure is part of a broader enforcement push across Gujarat, where prohibition has been in force for decades. This is the third significant liquor bust in the state within days.
On 13 August, the State Monitoring Cell seized approximately 31,836 bottles of IMFL and beer valued at around ₹1.20 crore from a truck near the Budhanpur toll plaza in Vav-Tharad. The total value of that seizure, including the vehicle, was reported at around ₹1.32 crore.
In another recent operation, Ahmedabad Rural Police seized 18,000 IMFL bottles worth ₹1.04 crore near the Vataman-Bagodara highway. The liquor had allegedly been concealed beneath sacks of onions in a truck — a method increasingly used to evade detection.
Investigation Status
The Bagodra case remains under active investigation. Police said they are working to identify all remaining accused and trace the full supply chain behind the consignment. The operation was carried out under the supervision of senior officials.
Point of View
But also that supply networks have grown more organised. The use of UP-registered trucks and concealment tactics like onion sacks points to a structured inter-state pipeline, not opportunistic smuggling. Gujarat's decades-old prohibition law has long been criticised for creating exactly this kind of black market; each high-profile seizure raises the question of how many consignments get through undetected. The real accountability test is whether investigators can crack the supply chain upstream, not just arrest the truck driver.
NationPress
16 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized at the Bagodra toll plaza in Ahmedabad?
Bagodra Police seized 7,164 company-sealed IMFL bottles valued at ₹26.81 lakh from a truck intercepted at the Bagodra toll plaza on 15 August. Including the truck and a mobile phone, the total value of seized property was ₹41,94,708.
Who was arrested in the Bagodra liquor seizure case?
Mohammad Ayub Nizamuddin Sheikh, 50, a resident of Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested. Police are also searching for Rohit Sharma of Basti, UP, who allegedly supplied the liquor, and a third unidentified individual who reportedly ordered the consignment.
Why is liquor seized in Gujarat treated as a serious offence?
Gujarat has enforced a total prohibition on alcohol for decades, making the possession, transport, and sale of liquor a criminal offence under state law. Large-scale smuggling operations, often using trucks from other states, are actively targeted by police.
Are there other recent liquor seizures in Gujarat?
Yes. On 13 August, the State Monitoring Cell seized around 31,836 bottles of IMFL and beer worth approximately ₹1.20 crore near Vav-Tharad. Separately, Ahmedabad Rural Police also seized 18,000 IMFL bottles worth ₹1.04 crore near the Vataman-Bagodara highway, where the liquor was hidden under sacks of onions.
What is the current status of the investigation?
The investigation is ongoing. Police are working to identify all remaining accused, establish the source of the liquor, and determine its intended destination. Further arrests may follow as the probe develops.
