In a series of raids over three days, authorities seized a staggering amount of illegal alcohol worth more than Rs 1.5 crore.
These operations, carried out in the districts of Vadodara, Morbi, and Rajkot, have revealed a potential new smuggling route that originates in Goa, a major tourist destination.
The first raid took place in Morbi, where the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) intercepted a truck near Sakat Sanala village on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, authorities discovered 17,514 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) concealed behind sacks of rice. The consignment, valued at Rs 76.39 lakh, was confirmed to have originated from Goa. Four persons were arrested and handed over to the local police, while several others remain at large.
Those held include Mukesh Sivak and Jasvantsinh Godara from Badmer (Rajasthan), Dinesh Guru from Sanchore (Rajasthan), and Pravin Varad from Raniwara
Rajkot raid nets more illegal alcohol
Just 24 hours later, the SMC conducted another raid at a hotel named “Horn OK Please” on Kuvadava Road. This operation resulted in the seizure of 12,958 bottles of IMFL. and beer tins, worth Rs 47.84 lakh. One person was arrested, while the others involved remain at large. Initial investigations suggest this consign-ment was being transported from Punjab to Saurashtra.
Vadodara raid
On January 25, the Gujarat State Monitoring Cell acted on intelli-gence inputs and intercepted a tempo in Tilakwada, Vadodara. This operation led to the seizure of an IMFL.consignment worth Rs 25.83 Jakh.
These large-scale operations are unu-sual in Gujarat, a state with strict prohibition laws. The emergence of Goa as a potential new route for smuggling operations has raised con-cerns among authorities. Previously, bootleggers primarily used routes through states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. Senior police officials in Gujarat have reportedly contacted their counterparts in Goa to investigate the individuals involved.
Increased consignments
Sources indicate a noticeable rise in the tracking of illegal liquor shipments to various locations in Saurashtra