Foreign liquor worth Rs 1 crore seized near UP-Bihar border

Chandauli (UP), Jul 6 (PTI) In a crackdown on illicit liquor trade, police here on Sunday intercepted a truck truck attempting to smuggle a consignment of illegal foreign liquor into Bihar via the NH-19 Singhitali Bridge valued at over Rs 1 crore, officials said.

Foreign liquor was purchased at low prices in Punjab and were to be sold at inflated rates in Bihar that has prohibition of alcohol in place.

A joint team from Alinagar police station and the Special Operations Group (SOG) seized the consignment of alcohol at Chandauli that borders Bihar, they said.

"The seized consignment, totalling 6,399 litres of illegal English liquor, was concealed beneath 100 sacks of wall putty, packed into 720 cartons. The estimated market value of the confiscated liquor is Rs 1.12 crore," Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Anant Chandrashekhar told media on Sunday.

The driver of the truck, identified as Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Punjab, has been arrested. The vehicle has also been impounded, and authorities are preparing to initiate proceedings against him under the Gangster Act, the officer added.

The action was carried out based on an input from Bihar's Anti-Liquor Unit regarding a large quantity of illegal foreign liquor being transported through Chandauli to Bihar.

"Acting on this tip-off, police teams were deployed to the specified location on the NH-19 bridge, where they commenced checking vehicles arriving from the Ramnagar, Varanasi side. During the inspection, a truck driver attempted to make a U-turn and flee upon spotting the police.

"However, the team swiftly cordoned off the area and apprehended him," the officer said.

During interrogation, the driver confessed that the liquor was purchased at low prices in Punjab and was intended for sale at inflated rates in Bihar, where a ban on liquor sales ensures higher demand and better profits. PTI COR CDN SKY SKY