Patna, April 18 (IANS) In a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against illegal liquor smuggling, police in Bihar’s Jamui district have arrested five smugglers, including two minors, and recovered 17 cans of beer from a car.

The operation was carried out near Patneshwar Chowk under the Malaypur police station limits during a special vehicle checking drive led by SDPO Satish Suman on Friday night.

Acting on suspicion, a police team signalled a silver Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire to stop.

However, the occupants attempted to flee, prompting the police to cordon off the area and apprehend all individuals in the vehicle.

The arrested accused have been identified as Rajiv Kumar alias Raju, Abhishek Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Rishu Kumar, and Rupesh Kumar Pandey, all residents of Saw Tola.

A team comprising Station House Officer Shekhar Saurabh, Sub-Inspector Pankaj Kumar, and Assistant Sub-Inspector Sunil Kumar conducted a thorough search of the vehicle.

During the search, 17 cans of beer were recovered from a black backpack kept in the boot.

The vehicle was seized on the spot, and a case was registered against all the accused under the Prohibition Act at Malaypur police station. Three accused were produced before a court on Saturday and were remanded to judicial custody. The two minors were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to a children’s observation home.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that Rajiv Kumar alias Raju is the alleged mastermind behind the network.

Police officials stated that he had been involved in liquor smuggling for a considerable period.

According to sources, Rajiv operated from the Malaypur area under the guise of running a grocery store and an oil mill.

He allegedly managed supply chains through online orders and had previously evaded arrest during multiple police raids.

The probe has further uncovered that liquor was sourced from Jasidih in Jharkhand and transported into Bihar through a network that, police said, involved minors.

These children were reportedly used for delivery, earning between Rs 200 and Rs 300 per trip, while Rajiv allegedly earned around Rs 2,000 per consignment.

Local residents claimed that the accused had amassed significant wealth through the illegal trade and had been actively luring minors, including students, into the racket by offering money and portraying a lavish lifestyle.

Police have now launched a detailed investigation to dismantle the entire network and identify all supply routes and distribution points linked to the operation.

–IANS

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