Camel Smuggling Racket Busted in Delhi: Animals Used to Ferry Illicit Liquor
In a bizarre and unconventional smuggling operation, Delhi police have arrested a repeat offender who employed camels to transport illicit liquor through dense forest trails, bypassing police checkpoints and surveillance. The accused, 48-year-old Vinod Bhadana, was caught red-handed while ferrying contraband from Faridabad into south Delhi via Sangam Vihar, marking the second such incident in seven months.
Unconventional Method to Evade Detection
Acting on a tip-off, a police team laid a trap in the forest route area on Monday and apprehended Bhadana during the smuggling run. With intensified checks on roads connecting Delhi and Faridabad under Operation Kavach, the accused turned to camels to navigate rugged terrain and avoid police pickets. He strategically chose isolated forest stretches where the animals blended into the landscape, masking an interstate smuggling operation that spanned from Haryana into the national capital.
DCP (south) Anant Mittal stated, “This unconventional method was adopted to evade detection during intensified enforcement under Operation Kavach. The accused exploited forest trails to skirt border surveillance and checkpoints.”
Repeat Offender and Seizures
Police seized 39 cartons, equivalent to 1,938 quarters, of illicit liquor along with the two camels deployed in the operation. Bhadana is a repeat offender, having been arrested in a similar case last September when he and four associates were found smuggling liquor using three camels. He was previously released on September 18, 2025, only to resume his illicit activities with the same modus operandi.
The use of camels in smuggling highlights a creative yet illegal adaptation to law enforcement pressures. The animals were used to ferry contraband through dense forest trails, exploiting gaps in surveillance and leveraging the terrain to avoid detection.
Legal Actions and Animal Welfare
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Delhi Excise Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act at the Neb Sarai police station. The seized camels from both cases have been handed over to a government animal welfare agency, ensuring their care and protection from further exploitation in criminal activities.
This incident underscores the challenges faced by authorities in curbing smuggling networks that employ unconventional tactics. It also raises concerns about animal welfare, as camels were coerced into participating in illegal operations, prompting legal action under cruelty prevention laws.
The police continue to investigate the broader network involved in this racket, aiming to dismantle the supply chain and prevent future occurrences. The arrest serves as a reminder of the innovative, albeit illicit, methods smugglers use to circumvent law enforcement in urban and peri-urban areas.
