Gujarat SMC seizes ₹1.26 crore liquor haul on Ahmedabad-Palanpur Highway
Synopsis
A truck loaded with 22,773 bottles of Punjab-labelled whisky and beer — worth over ₹1.26 crore — was intercepted on the Ahmedabad-Palanpur Highway in Mehsana, the third major SMC haul in Gujarat this year. The 'For Sale in Punjab Only' labels on every bottle point to a well-organised inter-state diversion network that enforcement agencies are still working to fully unravel.
Key Takeaways
The Gujarat SMC seized 22,773 bottles of IMFL worth ₹1,10,78,149 near Mevad village, Mehsana district on 10 June .
Total seized property — including the truck, phones, bags, and cash — was valued at ₹1,26,01,389 .
All bottles were labelled 'For Sale in Punjab Only' , indicating deliberate inter-state diversion.
Driver Ghamanda Ram Chetan Ram Jat of Barmer, Rajasthan was arrested; three others, including alleged supplier Kishan , remain at large.
The seizure follows SMC hauls of ₹1.51 crore in Rajkot this month and over ₹4 crore in Kutch in February.
The Gujarat State Monitoring Cell (SMC) seized Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and other property worth over ₹1.26 crore during a prohibition raid on the Ahmedabad-Palanpur Highway near Mevad village in Mehsana district on Wednesday, 10 June, officials said. The operation, led by PSI V.K. Rathod, resulted in the arrest of one person and the recovery of 22,773 bottles of liquor concealed in a commercial truck.
What Was Seized
Officers intercepted an Eicher Pro truck on the highway and recovered 850 boxes containing 22,773 bottles of IMFL, valued at ₹1,10,78,149. The seized stock comprised Royal Stag Whisky (750 ml and 180 ml), Royal Challenge Fine Reserve Whisky (750 ml), Tuborg Premium Strong Beer (500 ml), and Kingfisher Strong Classic Premium Beer (500 ml) — all labelled 'For Sale in Punjab Only', indicating the consignment had been diverted from its authorised distribution zone.
Authorities also confiscated the truck, valued at ₹15 lakh, two mobile phones worth ₹10,000, 175 cattle-feed covering bags worth ₹8,750, and cash of ₹4,490. The total assessed value of all seized property stood at ₹1,26,01,389.
Accused Arrested, Three Others Sought
One accused, identified as Ghamanda Ram Chetan Ram Jat, a resident of Pokar Bhadu Ki Dhani in the Naukh area of Barmer district, Rajasthan, and the driver of the truck, was arrested and handed over to Mehsana Taluka Police Station. Investigators are now searching for three others — including a man identified as Kishan, alleged to be the liquor supplier; the truck owner; and an unidentified individual believed to be the intended recipient of the consignment in Rajkot.
A case was registered at Mehsana Taluka Police Station 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.
Part of a Pattern of Large-Scale Seizures
This is the latest in a series of significant prohibition enforcement operations across Gujarat. Earlier this month, the SMC recovered more than 41,500 bottles of IMFL worth approximately ₹1.51 crore from a truck near Bharudi village in Gondal taluka, Rajkot district, with one arrest made. In February, one of the state's largest recent anti-liquor operations near Dhaneti and Vadvala villages in Kutch district netted over 56,000 bottles valued at more than ₹4 crore, targeting an organised smuggling network.
Gujarat has enforced prohibition since 1960, and the SMC continues to conduct operations aimed at disrupting the transport and distribution of illicit liquor across the state. The recurring pattern of Punjab-labelled stock being intercepted en route to Gujarat and Rajkot points to an established inter-state supply chain that authorities are working to dismantle.
Point of View
Rajkot, now Mehsana — and a consistent thread: Punjab-labelled stock diverted south. This is not opportunistic smuggling; it is a supply chain. The SMC's operational tempo is clearly rising, but the repeat arrests of drivers while suppliers and recipients remain at large suggests enforcement is catching the logistics layer without yet dismantling the commercial one. Until a Kishan-level accused is prosecuted to conviction, the economics of inter-state liquor diversion into dry Gujarat will remain attractive enough to sustain the network.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Gujarat SMC seize near Mehsana on 10 June?
The Gujarat State Monitoring Cell seized 22,773 bottles of IMFL — including Royal Stag Whisky, Royal Challenge Whisky, Tuborg Beer, and Kingfisher Beer — along with a truck, phones, and cash, with total seized property valued at ₹1,26,01,389. The liquor alone was assessed at ₹1,10,78,149.
Who was arrested in the Mehsana liquor seizure?
Ghamanda Ram Chetan Ram Jat, a resident of Barmer district in Rajasthan and the driver of the intercepted truck, was arrested and handed over to Mehsana Taluka Police Station. Three others — including alleged supplier Kishan, the truck owner, and the suspected recipient in Rajkot — remain at large.
Why were the bottles labelled 'For Sale in Punjab Only'?
The labelling indicates the liquor was manufactured and authorised for sale within Punjab, a state where alcohol is legal. Diverting such stock to Gujarat — a prohibition state — is a criminal offence under the Gujarat Prohibition Act.
What legal sections were invoked in the case?
A case was 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 does this seizure compare to recent Gujarat liquor operations?
It is the third major SMC haul in a short period. Earlier in June, over 41,500 bottles worth ₹1.51 crore were seized in Rajkot's Gondal taluka. In February, more than 56,000 bottles valued at over ₹4 crore were recovered in Kutch during a crackdown on an organised smuggling network.
