Uttar Pradesh police foiled a major liquor smuggling operation, seizing ₹1.2 crore worth of IMFL destined for Bihar, highlighting the ongoing challenges of enforcing alcohol prohibition.
Over 710 cartons of Indian-made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth about Rs 1.20 crore being smuggled to Bihar, where alcoholic beverages are banned, was seized in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli and two smugglers were arrested, police said on Sunday.
Circle Officer (Sadar) Devendra Kumar said the consignment of liquor was being transported from Noida to Bihar via Chandauli.
Acting on a tip off, the police team intercepted a truck during checking near a petrol pump at Barthi Kamarour on National Highway-19.
During inspection, sacks of putty were found loaded in the truck, and a search revealed 710 cartons of IMFL concealed behind them, he said, adding that the liquor is worth about Rs 1.20 crore.
The police arrested the truck driver, identified as Ali Bakhsh (27), a resident Jharkhand's Dumka. Another accused, Murtaz Ansari (40), a resident of Deoghar district, was also nabbed along with a Mahindra Bolero that was allegedly being used to provide location updates to the truck, the officer said.
A case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Excise Act, and further legal proceedings are underway, the police added.
The Bihar government in 2016 enforced a complete ban on the manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, sale, and consumption of liquor in the state.