In dry Gujarat, a liquor bottle seized every 4 seconds
What's the story
In an ironic development, the Gujarat police seized a whopping 82 lakh bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), worth ₹144 crore in 2024.
This amounts to a bottle being seized every four seconds in the year, according to police data.
The major operations were conducted in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Navsari, and Bhavnagar.
Ahmedabad's record
Ahmedabad city reports highest number of liquor cases
In Ahmedabad city alone, authorities reported 2,139 cases with 3.06 lakh IMFL bottles and 7,796 cases with 1.58 lakh liters of countrymade liquor.
Vadodara Rural topped the crackdown with ₹9.8 crore worth of IMFL bottles hidden in secret compartments of trucks and godowns.
Surat Rural closely followed with ₹8.9 crore worth of IMFL disguised as household goods in an interstate transport racket.
Smuggling strategies
High-tech manufacturing units and innovative smuggling tactics
Navsari witnessed the seizure of 6.23 lakh IMFL bottles linked to high-tech manufacturing units in neighboring states.
In Bhavnagar, authorities seized ₹8.7 crore worth of IMFL and countrymade liquor hidden in water tanks and under fresh vegetables.
A senior official said these raids were a stark reminder to smugglers that no matter how innovative their tactics may be, they won't be allowed to violate the law.
Official skepticism
Retired DGP expresses skepticism over stopping liquor smuggling
Despite these efforts, a retired Director General of Police (DGP), who did not wish to be named, was skeptical about completely stopping liquor smuggling from neighboring states.
The retired official warned that "cops also need to crack down on local breweries," cautioning that "a lack of vigilance can lead to another hooch tragedy."