The Special Monitoring Cell (SMC) of Gujarat Police seized Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth more than ₹1.26 crore and recovered vehicles, mobile phones, and cash valued at over ₹1.81 crore in two separate prohibition operations conducted across Rajkot and Morbi districts on 18–19 June. Two accused have been arrested and at least eight others declared wanted across both cases.

Rajkot Operation: 26,304 Bottles Recovered at Industrial Plot

In the first raid, the SMC targeted a premises at Shri Ramdev Plot No. 5 in the RK-9 Industrial Area of Kuvadva, Rajkot. Officers recovered 26,304 bottles of IMFL valued at ₹70,38,336, along with two vehicles worth ₹30.40 lakh and a mobile phone worth ₹10,000. The total value of seized property — referred to as muddamal — stood at ₹1,00,88,336.

One accused, Pareshkumar Patel, a resident of Santosh Nagar near Nana Mava Circle in Rajkot, was arrested and handed over to Kuvadva Road Police Station. Cases were registered under Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2) and 116(B) of the Prohibition Act, along with Sections 111(2)(b) and 111(3)(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Police have declared six persons wanted in the case, including Firoj Sandhi and Sultan Sandhi, both of Rajkot, who are allegedly linked to ordering the consignment. Three unidentified drivers — of a truck, a car, and a pickup truck — as well as an alleged supplier, are also being traced.

Morbi Operation: Container Intercepted on NH-27

In a separate operation conducted between 18 and 19 June, SMC personnel intercepted a container near Vaghasiya Toll Plaza on National Highway-27, opposite Gayatri Chamber in Morbi district. The raid yielded 28,912 bottles of IMFL worth ₹55,74,528, along with a vehicle worth ₹25 lakh, three mobile phones valued at ₹10,500, and cash of ₹1,070. Total muddamal value in this case was ₹80,86,098.

The arrested accused, Achala Jat, a resident of Dheerasar village in Chohtan tehsil of Rajasthan's Barmer district, was identified as both the driver and owner of the container. The case was handed over to Wankaner City Police Station under Sections 65(A), 65(E), 81, 83, 98(2) and 116(B) of the Prohibition Act.

Two persons have been named as wanted in this case: Manish Sharma of Rajasthan's Sikar city, allegedly the supplier, and an unidentified recipient in Morbi.

Cross-State Supply Network Under Scrutiny

Notably, both operations point to an inter-state liquor supply chain, with alleged suppliers and accused traced to Rajasthan — a dry-state neighbour that shares a border with Gujarat. This is consistent with a broader pattern of liquor smuggling into Gujarat, which has enforced prohibition since 1960.

The involvement of Rajasthan-based individuals in the Morbi case suggests that the distribution network extends well beyond district lines. Police said further investigation is underway in both cases to trace absconding accused and map the full supply and distribution chain.

What Comes Next

Authorities are working to identify and apprehend the remaining wanted accused in both cases. The scale of the seizures — combined totalling over 55,000 bottles — indicates an organised operation rather than opportunistic smuggling. The SMC's role in both intercepts underlines the Gujarat government's continued emphasis on prohibition enforcement through specialised units.