Ahmedabad: IMFL worth Rs 76 lakh seized from truck near Bakrol

Ahmedabad: Sarkhej police on Saturday seized Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer worth Rs 76.6 lakh concealed in a truck transporting ayurvedic products near Bakrol Circle on SP Ring Road early Saturday morning.

Police said the liquor consignment, allegedly smuggled from Punjab, was hidden behind cartons of ayurvedic products and flour sacks loaded from Haridwar and was being transported towards Maharashtra.

According to the FIR registered by assistant head constable Vikramsinh Jilubha, the seizure occurred during a combing and patrolling drive carried out by Sarkhej police around 5.15am on Saturday.

Police got a tip-off from Sarkhej police inspector that a white truck carrying a large quantity of IMFL was moving from Bakrol Circle towards the Dholera Expressway. Acting on the input, a team kept watch near Bakrol Circle along with panch witnesses.

Around 5.45am, police noticed the suspected truck heading towards Sanathal Circle. The team intercepted the vehicle and checked its registration number, which was found to be registered in Rajasthan.

During questioning, the driver identified himself as 38-year-old Vagtaram Beniwal, a resident of Barmer district in Rajasthan. He initially told police that the truck was transporting ayurvedic products from Haridwar to Mumbai.

However, officials grew suspicious as the route mentioned by the driver did not match the truck’s movement. On checking, police found cartons of ayurvedic goods stacked near the rear of the truck. After removing some boxes, officers allegedly found a large cache of liquor and beer hidden inside.

The seized stock included whisky brands along with beer cans, all marked “For Sale in Punjab Only”. Police counted 8,624 bottles and beer cans worth Rs 76.6 lakh.

Police also recovered 680 cartons of ayurvedic products and 115 flour sacks worth around Rs 10 lakh, which were allegedly used to hide the liquor consignment.

The accused failed to produce any permit for transporting liquor into Gujarat, a prohibition state. Police also seized the truck and the driver’s mobile phone as part of the probe. Further investigation is underway to trace the supplier and intended recipients of the consignment.