In a dramatic early morning operation, three event management professionals were apprehended by authorities for allegedly attempting to smuggle leftover wedding beer from Delhi to Uttar Pradesh for illegal resale. The coordinated sting operation unfolded at the gates of a prominent residential society in Greater Noida West, preventing what could have been a significant violation of state excise laws.
The Midnight Interception
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint team comprising the excise department and Noida police kept vigil through the night, waiting for the suspects to make their move. Their patience paid off when, in the early hours of Sunday morning, they spotted a Mahindra pick-up truck approaching the entrance of Amrapali Golf Homes residential complex.
The officers swiftly intercepted the vehicle at gate number 1, moments before the suspects could unload their illicit cargo. District excise officer Subodh Kumar confirmed that the timely action prevented the alcohol from being stored in a rented apartment within the society.
The Contraband Details
Upon searching the vehicle, authorities made a substantial recovery: 21 cases of Kibba 4 beer, with each case containing 24 cans of 500ml capacity. The total seizure amounted to 504 beer cans with a maximum retail price of ₹130 per can, making the total value of the confiscated goods approximately ₹65,520.
Investigators noted that all the crates bore clear labeling indicating they were meant "only for sale in Delhi" - a crucial detail that highlighted the cross-border nature of the violation. The beer had apparently been collected from leftover crates following an event at Pacific Mall in Jasola, Delhi earlier that same night.
The Accused and Their Alleged Plan
The three individuals taken into custody were identified as Vishesh Malik (32), Vinayak (23), and Mohammad Asrar Ali (30). According to preliminary investigations, the event planners intended to store the alcohol in their rented flat and subsequently sell it through informal channels at inflated rates to known contacts in the area.
A senior police officer involved in the operation revealed that "had they managed to move the beer inside, it would have been stored and distributed to buyers locally." The entire operation was executed within minutes of spotting the vehicle approaching the society entrance.
Legal Consequences and Investigation
The case has been registered at Bisrakh police station under sections 63 (illegal transport of liquor) and 72 (vehicle confiscation) of the Uttar Pradesh Excise Act 1910. The pick-up truck used in the attempted smuggling has been seized by authorities.
Under current regulations, individuals are permitted to import only one unsealed liquor bottle from adjoining states like Delhi or Haryana into Uttar Pradesh, whether traveling by metro or road. Violators face severe penalties including fines up to ₹5,000 and potential imprisonment of up to five years.
While initial probes suggest this might have been the trio's first attempt at such cross-border liquor smuggling, officials have confirmed that further investigation is underway to determine whether they had previously engaged in similar activities. Police conducted searches at their rented apartment but found no additional liquor stored there.
