Gujarat: Seizure of Illegal Foreign Liquor Worth Rs 25.83 Lakh, One Individual Arrested
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Synopsis
Vadodara's Gujarat State Monitoring Cell seized illegal foreign liquor valued at Rs 25.83 lakh from a tempo in Chanod. The driver, Ajitkumar Hriday Narayan Singh, was arrested. The total value of seized goods reached Rs 39.31 lakh, prompting authorities to seek the arrest of an accomplice.
Key Takeaways
- Seizure of illegal liquor worth Rs 25.83 lakh.
- Driver Ajitkumar Hriday Narayan Singh arrested.
- Total value of seized goods reached Rs 39.31 lakh.
- Ongoing crackdown on illegal liquor trade in Gujarat.
- Authorities have been criticized for insufficient action against bootleggers.
Vadodara, Jan 25 (NationPress) A significant seizure of illegal foreign liquor, estimated at Rs 25.83 lakh, has taken place from a tempo in Chanod, located in Gujarat's Vadodara district.
Following actionable intelligence regarding the illicit transportation of foreign liquor from Tilakwada to Vadodara, Police Inspector HV Tadvi from the Gujarat State Monitoring Cell executed a raid in Chanod with his team.
They identified a suspicious tempo parked near a godown in Chanod and proceeded to conduct a thorough search.
During the inspection, the teams unearthed the liquor, which had been cleverly concealed within the tempo.
The tempo driver, named Ajitkumar Hriday Narayan Singh, a resident of Ankleshwar, Bharuch, was subsequently apprehended.
Singh was in the process of transporting this illegal cargo from Tilakwada to Vadodara.
Alongside the liquor, authorities also confiscated cash, mobile devices, and vehicles, bringing the total estimated value of the seized items to Rs 39.31 lakh.
The SMC has labeled Suresh Patel, the individual responsible for sending the liquor, as well as the tempo owner and the person who placed the order, as wanted.
This operation is part of a series of actions by the State Monitoring Cell over the past month, focused on combating the illegal liquor trade in both the city and district of Vadodara.
Despite these numerous raids, local law enforcement has faced criticism, with accusations of insufficient action against bootleggers.
In the year 2024, Gujarat authorities reported the seizure of foreign liquor valued over Rs 100 crore during various operations statewide. This included substantial seizures in key cities such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and rural regions including Panchmahals and Bharuch.
High-end foreign liquor has been illegally smuggled into the state via neighboring Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Raids aimed at these illegal shipments have become a routine aspect of law enforcement efforts in Gujarat.
Throughout 2023, more than 200 individuals were detained for their involvement in the illegal liquor trade in Gujarat. This included bootleggers, suppliers, and distributors engaged in the smuggling and distribution of alcohol in areas where such activities are strictly prohibited.
