In Bihar’s Gopalganj district, police conducted a late-night raid seizing foreign liquor valued at around Rs 40 lakh. The operation, part of a crackdown on liquor smuggling, was carried out by the Mohammadpur police station. Acting on specific intelligence, a team led by Station House Officer Tinku Kumar discovered 380 cartons of foreign liquor near a graveyard in Gorouli village.
During the raid, police found each bottle containing 180 ml of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in a suspicious truck. The truck driver was apprehended on the spot, with ongoing efforts to locate other members of the alleged smuggling network. In a separate operation near Bhathwa Mor, police intercepted a luxury car during routine checking and found additional quantities of foreign liquor.
The seized vehicle led to an FIR being filed against the owner and driver under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act. Rajesh Kumar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO)-2 of Sidhwalia, highlighted that the crackdown was based on precise intelligence inputs. Authorities are now investigating the origin and intended destination of the confiscated liquor.
Legal actions are in progress to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in the smuggling operation. Officials are also probing backward and forward linkages to dismantle the entire smuggling syndicate. Continuous operations are ongoing in Gopalganj district to combat the illegal liquor trade, with strict warnings issued against those engaging in such activities.
The seizure is a significant development in the district’s efforts to combat liquor smuggling, particularly in Bihar where prohibition laws are enforced. Despite the ban on liquor since April 2016, illegal smuggling networks persist in attempting to bring liquor into the state, prompting stringent enforcement measures.
