Pre-Poll Crackdown: Ahmedabad Police Busts Liquor Smuggling Attempt from Chandigarh to Nadiad
In a major pre-election crackdown, Ahmedabad Police intercepted a large consignment of illegal liquor worth nearly RS.88 lakh in the Naroda area of Ahmedabad , just hours before the counting of votes for local self-government elections.
Acting on specific intelligence, the Police Commissioner's PCB squad, led by PI J.P. Jadeja, set up surveillance near Gamthi Restaurant on the Nana Chiloda-Dahegam route, a known transit point for suspicious movement.
During the operation, a truck matching the tip-off description was stopped and questioned. The driver initially attempted to mislead officials by claiming the vehicle was transporting television sets and even presented fabricated documents to support the claim. However, based on prior intelligence, police conducted a thorough inspection of the vehicle, which led to the discovery of a large quantity of Indian-made foreign liquor and beer hidden inside cartons falsely labelled as electronic goods.
Upon detailed counting, officials recovered a total of 25,608 bottles of liquor and beer valued at Rs.67,57,488. Including the truck and other seized materials, the total value of the haul was estimated at Rs.87,67,928. The driver, identified as Kamal Singh Bhani Singh Yadav (46), a resident of Alwar district in Rajasthan, was immediately taken into custody.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that the consignment had been loaded in Chandigarh and was intended for delivery in Nadiad. The smuggling operation was carefully planned, using fake invoices and disguising the liquor shipment as a legitimate consignment of televisions to avoid suspicion during transit.
Police officials stated that the seizure is part of intensified enforcement measures to curb illegal activities, especially liquor smuggling, during the sensitive election period when such operations tend to increase. Authorities have registered a case not only against the arrested driver but also against individuals involved in loading the consignment and those who placed the order.
Further investigation is currently underway to identify and dismantle the larger network behind the smuggling racket, including possible interstate links. Officials are also examining whether similar consignments have been transported using the same modus operandi in the past.
The successful operation highlights the heightened vigilance of Ahmedabad Police in ensuring free and fair elections by cracking down on illegal activities that could influence the electoral process.