Patna, May 16 (IANS) In a major crackdown on liquor smuggling, police in Bihar’s Gopalganj district have seized foreign liquor worth around Rs 40 lakh during a late-night raid, an official said on Saturday.

The operation was carried out under the jurisdiction of Mohammadpur police station as part of an ongoing special drive against the illegal liquor trade in the district.

According to the police, acting on specific intelligence inputs, a team led by Station House Officer (SHO) Tinku Kumar conducted a raid near a graveyard in Gorouli village at around 11.45 p.m. on Friday.

During the search of a suspicious truck parked at the spot, police recovered around 380 cartons of foreign liquor, with each bottle containing 180 ml of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).

The truck driver was arrested on the spot, while raids are continuing to trace other members of the alleged smuggling network.

In a separate operation near Bhathwa Mor, police intercepted a luxury car during routine checking and recovered additional quantities of foreign liquor.

The vehicle has been seized and an FIR registered against the owner and driver under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.

Rajesh Kumar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO)-2 of Sidhwalia, said the action was based on precise intelligence inputs.

He added that police are now investigating the source and intended destination of the seized liquor.

Further legal action is underway to identify and arrest other accused allegedly involved in the smuggling operation.

Officials are also examining backward and forward linkages to dismantle the entire smuggling syndicate.

Police reiterated that continuous operations are underway in Gopalganj district to curb the illegal liquor trade.

Authorities have warned that strict action will be taken against all those found involved in such activities.

The seizure is being viewed as a major success in the district’s ongoing drive against liquor smuggling, particularly in Bihar, where prohibition laws remain in force.

Liquor has been banned in Bihar since April 2016. However, illegal smuggling networks continue attempting to bring liquor into the state despite strict enforcement measures.

–IANS

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