Gujarat Police seize ₹59.23 lakh liquor in Ahmedabad, five accused named
Synopsis
Gujarat's State Monitoring Cell intercepted 12,843 bottles of IMFL and beer worth ₹59.23 lakh near the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway — the third major liquor bust in as many months along the same corridor. With five accused named and the supply chain still under investigation, the operation underlines how the expressway has emerged as a preferred smuggling route into dry-state Gujarat.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Police's SMC seized 12,843 bottles of IMFL and beer worth ₹59.23 lakh near the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway on 31 July 2025 .
Total value of all confiscated property, including other articles, stands at ₹79.26 lakh .
Case registered under the Gujarat Prohibition Act at Ramol Police Station ; five accused named, all currently wanted.
Key accused Shivku Karpada (Botad district) allegedly ordered the consignment; Dhiru Karpada (Surendranagar) also named.
The bust follows SMC seizures of ₹1.49 crore in June and ₹48.35 lakh in July from the same expressway corridor.
The Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) seized Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and beer worth ₹59.23 lakh during a prohibition raid in Ahmedabad on 31 July 2025, with the total value of all confiscated property — including other articles — estimated at ₹79.26 lakh. A prohibition case has been registered at Ramol Police Station, and five accused have been named in connection with the operation.
How the Raid Unfolded
The operation was led by Police Inspector S.M. Jadeja under directions from Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Malik, who had ordered intensified action against illegal liquor and gambling across Gujarat. Officers searched a parking area adjacent to the entry toll plaza on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway No. 1, near the Sardar Patel Ring Road, within the limits of Ramol Police Station.
During the search, police recovered approximately 600 cartons of IMFL and beer containing 12,843 bottles, valued at ₹59,23,014. Seizure of additional property pushed the total confiscated value to ₹79,26,014.
Case Registered, Accused Identified
The case has been booked under Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2), and 116(B) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act. Among the five named accused is Shivku Karpada, a resident of Refda village in Botad district, who is allegedly the person who ordered the consignment. Another named accused is Dhiru Karpada of Ramparda village in Muli taluka, Surendranagar district. The remaining three accused are reportedly linked to the dispatch and transportation of the liquor, according to police.
Part of a Wider Crackdown
This seizure is the latest in a string of major prohibition operations by the SMC in recent months, indicating a sustained enforcement push under DGP Malik's directives. In June 2025, officials seized IMFL worth more than ₹1.49 crore near Bibipura on the Vadodara-Ahmedabad Expressway in Ahmedabad Rural, with total seized property valued at ₹1.74 crore.
In a separate July 2025 operation, the SMC recovered IMFL and beer worth ₹48.35 lakh from Gagodar village in Rapar taluka, Kutch, with overall seized property estimated at ₹78.57 lakh.
What Comes Next
All five accused remain wanted, and investigators are reportedly tracing the supply chain behind the consignment. The repeated interceptions along the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway corridor suggest the route has become a key conduit for illegal liquor entering dry-state Gujarat, and further operations in the area are expected.
Point of View
Running into crores, suggests the economics of smuggling remain highly attractive. The SMC's intensified campaign under DGP Malik is operationally effective, but without disrupting the demand side and the financial networks funding these consignments, the expressway will likely see its next big seizure soon.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Gujarat Police seize in the Ahmedabad liquor raid?
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell seized approximately 600 cartons containing 12,843 bottles of IMFL and beer worth ₹59.23 lakh near the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway on 31 July 2025. The total value of all confiscated property, including other articles, was estimated at ₹79.26 lakh.
Who are the accused named in the Gujarat liquor case?
Five accused have been named, including Shivku Karpada of Refda village in Botad district, who allegedly ordered the consignment, and Dhiru Karpada of Ramparda village in Surendranagar's Muli taluka. The remaining three are linked to the dispatch and transportation of the liquor, according to police.
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 at Ramol Police Station in Ahmedabad. All five accused are currently wanted.
Is this part of a larger crackdown on liquor smuggling in Gujarat?
Yes. The SMC has carried out at least two other major operations in recent months — seizing IMFL worth over ₹1.49 crore near Bibipura in June 2025 and ₹48.35 lakh from Gagodar village in Kutch in July 2025. All three operations were conducted under directives from DGP G.S. Malik to intensify action against illegal liquor across Gujarat.
Why does Gujarat have prohibition laws?
Gujarat is one of the few Indian states that enforces a total prohibition on alcohol under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, a policy in place since 1960. The law bans the manufacture, sale, and consumption of liquor, making possession and transport of alcohol a criminal offence punishable under multiple sections of the Act.
