Rajkot, June 8: The Gujarat State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has apprehended a truck driver and seized a significant quantity of alcohol valued at approximately ₹1.51 crore. Officials announced this development on Monday.
The SMC team intercepted a truck near the Bharudi Toll Plaza on National Highway 27 in Rajkot district, which was carrying alcohol worth over ₹1.51 crore. According to authorities, the confiscated shipment consisted of 1,154 boxes containing 41,580 bottles. It is believed that this liquor was produced in distilleries located in Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
In addition to the alcohol, police seized a truck valued at ₹30 lakh, a mobile phone worth ₹5,000, ₹3,600 in cash, and other items worth ₹20,800. The total estimated value of the seized assets exceeds ₹1.81 crore.
The arrested individual has been identified as Bhuraram Saran, a resident of Hodu village in Rajasthan’s Balotra district. The investigation team reported that he was driving the truck, which was allegedly used to transport liquor into Gujarat. Police have also declared four other suspects wanted in connection with this case.
These suspects include Khemaram Beniwal, an alleged liquor supplier from Balotra district, truck owner Ramniwas alias Ramlal Multanaram from the Pilwa area of Rajasthan, Sunil Multanaram from Pilwa, and an unidentified person who reportedly used a virtual mobile number with a UK country code to place the liquor order.
Earlier, customs officials in Ahmedabad intercepted a boat near the Kolak coast in Valsad district, seizing 555 boxes containing 18,672 bottles of alcohol valued at around ₹50 lakh. Eight individuals were detained, and the shipment was handed over to local police for action under liquor prohibition laws.
Authorities suspect that this alcohol was smuggled into Gujarat from Daman. Additionally, in May, the Sola police in Ahmedabad stopped a truck on SG Highway near the Vaishnodevi Bridge, discovering ₹54.1 lakh worth of alcohol hidden beneath bags of rice husk.
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