Gandhinagar, July 27 (IANS) The Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has seized Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer worth over Rs 48.35 lakh during a prohibition raid in Kutch district, with the total value of seized property reaching Rs 78.57 lakh, officials said on Monday.
According to the State Monitoring Cell, the operation was carried out under the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Malik as part of the ongoing crackdown on illegal liquor and gambling activities across Gujarat.
The raid was led by Police Sub-Inspector K.D. Raviya, who conducted a search at the parking area of Jai Goga Rajasthani Hotel in Gagodar village of Rapar taluka, within the jurisdiction of Gagodar police station in East Kutch-Gandhidham district.
Police recovered around 500 cartons of IMFL and beer containing 13,500 bottles, valued at Rs 48,35,736. Including vehicles and other seized articles, the total value of the property confiscated was Rs 78,57,666.
Two men were arrested at the scene. They were identified as Shravankumar Meghwal, a resident of Jesar in Rajasthan’s Barmer district who was allegedly driving the vehicle, and Chenaram Jat, a resident of Netarad village in the same district, who was working as the cleaner.
Police have also named three wanted accused, including Narayan Jat of Bediya village in Rajasthan’s Sanchore district, who is alleged to have dispatched the liquor consignment.
The remaining two wanted accused are the alleged recipient of the consignment and the owner of the truck used for transportation.
A case has been registered at Gagodar Police Station under Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2) and 116(B) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, along with Sections 336(2), 336(3) and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The offence was registered on July 26.
The latest seizure adds to a series of recent prohibition enforcement operations by the State Monitoring Cell.
Earlier this month, the SMC seized liquor worth about Rs 18.6 lakh in separate raids in Banaskantha and Kheda districts, with the total value of seized property exceeding Rs 20.9 lakh in one of the cases.
In June, the SMC intercepted a truck near Rajkot and seized IMFL worth more than Rs 1.51 crore, while another operation on the Vadodara-Ahmedabad Expressway resulted in the seizure of liquor valued at over Rs 1.49 crore, highlighting continued efforts to curb interstate liquor smuggling into Gujarat.
–IANS
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