580 litre of liquor hidden in car bonnet seized in Bihar, 1 arrested in crackdown
In a major anti-liquor operation in Bihar’s Bagaha, the Prohibition Department carried out two raids in a single day and seized 581.82 litres of liquor
In a major anti-liquor operation in Bihar’s Bagaha, the Prohibition Department carried out two raids in a single day and seized 581.82 litres of liquor and beer along with a tractor-trolley and an SUV vehicle. One alleged smuggler was arrested, while another escaped in the darkness, officials said. The operations were led by Prohibition Inspector Pramod Kumar as part of the ongoing crackdown on liquor smuggling despite the statewide prohibition law. Read Full Story Officials said smugglers were using increasingly innovative methods to transport alcohol, including concealing liquor inside specially modified vehicle compartments.
The first raid was conducted near a canal in Purandarpur village under the Ramnagar police station area after the department received a tip-off. During the search, officials recovered 456 litres of beer from a tractor-trolley. The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled before he could be apprehended. The tractor-trolley has been seized, and teams have been deployed to trace the absconding suspect. Later in the day, the prohibition team intercepted a Bolero (SUV) on the Bagaha-Valmikinagar main road within the Patkhauli police station limits.
During inspection, officials discovered a hidden cavity created near the vehicle’s engine compartment. A search of the modified section led to the recovery of 125.82 litres of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The driver was arrested on the spot, and the vehicle was taken into custody. Officials said the seizure highlights the changing tactics adopted by smugglers, who are now using concealed spaces inside vehicles to avoid detection. They added that the successful recovery demonstrated the alertness of the enforcement team and reinforced the department’s resolve to continue strict action against illegal liquor trade.
Separate cases have been registered under the Excise Act in connection with both seizures. The arrested driver is being questioned to identify other members of the smuggling network, while efforts have been intensified to locate the fugitive accused. Further investigation is in progress, and officials indicated that more arrests could follow as the probe expands. Ends Abhishek Pandey input
The BriefWire