Surendranagar, June 24 (IANS) The Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) seized Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) valued at more than Rs 63 lakh and arrested a truck driver during a prohibition raid in Surendranagar district, officials said on Wednesday.

The raid was conducted by the SMC at the Hotel Nagaraj compound in Dhedhuki village of Sayla taluka. A truck trailer allegedly being used to transport liquor was intercepted and searched, leading to the recovery of 21,574 bottles and cans of IMFL valued at Rs 63,09,300 lakh.

Police said the seized stock included Star Gold Premium Whisky (180 ml), Discount Premium Whisky (180 ml), All Seasons Reserve Whiskey (750 ml), Royal Challenge Premium Deluxe Whisky (750 ml) and Kingfisher Super Strong Premium Beer (500 ml).

Apart from the liquor consignment, officers seized a truck trailer worth Rs 30 lakh, two mobile phones worth Rs 15,000, two tarpaulins worth Rs 2,000 and a rope valued at Rs 200.

The total value of the seized property was estimated at Rs 93,26,500 lakh. The arrested accused was identified as Karansinh Chamar, a resident of Mehuwala village in Fatehabad district, Haryana, who was allegedly driving the truck-trailer.

He was handed over to the Sayla police station for further investigation.

A case has been registered under Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2) and 116(B) of the Prohibition Act, along with Sections 111(2)(B), 111(3) and 111(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police have named three other accused as wanted in the case. They include Indrajit Jat of Bhattukala in Haryana’s Fatehabad district, alleged to be the supplier of the liquor consignment, an unidentified receiver of the liquor and the owner of the truck trailer.

Further investigation is underway to trace the supply chain and apprehend the remaining accused.

The seizure is the latest in a series of crackdowns on prohibition across Gujarat.

On Tuesday, authorities seized liquor worth Rs 19 lakh from a horse farm near Gandhinagar and arrested four persons in connection with the illegal storage and distribution of alcohol.

Investigators said the premises were allegedly being used to conceal and distribute liquor in violation of the state’s prohibition laws.

Earlier this month, the SMC carried out another major operation in Ahmedabad near Ramol Toll Naka, where 19,848 bottles of IMFL worth over Rs one crore were seized from a truck.

The total value of the seizure, including the vehicle and other materials, was estimated at around Rs 1.3 crore, and several accused were booked under prohibition laws.

Gujarat remains a prohibition state, with police and excise authorities regularly conducting operations against the illegal transportation, storage and sale of liquor.

–IANS

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