In a major pre-New Year crackdown, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch conducted a decisive raid on a transport warehouse in the Vatva GIDC area, leading to the seizure of a large stock of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and the arrest of three individuals.
Massive Haul from Haryana Intercepted
Acting on specific intelligence, a police team swooped down on the storage godown. The investigation revealed that the liquor consignment had originated from Haryana. The bottles were cleverly concealed inside large pallet boxes. The officials confiscated a total of 96 cartons containing 1,152 liquor bottles. The estimated value of the seized alcohol alone is a staggering Rs 14.97 lakh.
Total Seizure and Arrests Made
Beyond the liquor, the police also seized other items from the scene. These included five mobile phones worth Rs 60,000, Rs 2,680 in cash, and a car valued at Rs 5 lakh. The combined worth of all confiscated items amounts to Rs 20.6 lakh. The raid, part of an intensified drive against illicit liquor, resulted in three arrests.
The arrested accused have been booked under the stringent Gujarat Prohibition Act. They were identified as Vikram Od (42), a resident of Jambudi village in Sabarkantha; Sahil Od (21), from Thaltej in Ahmedabad; and Mohan Chavda (44), a native of Surendranagar district currently living in Himmatnagar. Police revealed that Vikram Od has a previous prohibition case against him from Vadodara in 2022 and was also detained under PASA in Rajkot in 2023.
Case Registered, One Accused Absconding
A formal case has been registered at the DCB police station. Authorities are also on the lookout for another suspect, Goga Rajput from Haryana, who is currently absconding. This operation underscores the police department's focused efforts to curb the illegal liquor trade, especially during the festive season around New Year's Eve, to maintain law and order in the dry state.
