Ahmedabad Police Crack Down on Bootleggers: 244 Arrested as Seizures Cross ₹77 Lakh
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Following the tragic death of eight people due to spurious liquor in Bhavnagar, the Ahmedabad City Police launched a massive two-day crackdown across the city, arresting 244 suspects and filing 215 prohibition cases.
Acting on directives from the Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) in Gandhinagar, local police stations carried out coordinated raids on August 18 and 19. The drive targeted listed bootleggers and suspected distribution hubs, resulting in the total seizure of illicit alcohol and transport vehicles valued at over ₹82 lakh.
Major Foreign Liquor Hauls Across the City
Out of the total cases registered under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 47 involved Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). Officers confiscated 10,885 bottles of foreign liquor and beer valued at ₹28.28 lakh. Including seized transport vehicles and mobile phones, the overall property value in IMFL cases touched ₹77.87 lakh.
Three major operations anchored the drive:
- Naroda Police Station: Officers intercepted an Eicher commercial vehicle carrying 3,840 IMFL bottles worth ₹12.61 lakh. Total property seized in the raid, including the truck, reached ₹24.73 lakh.
- Sola Police Station: A team seized 2,762 bottles valued at ₹5.05 lakh alongside a four-wheeler, booking four accused.
- Sabarmati Police Station: Police recovered 1,740 bottles worth ₹3 lakh along with cash.
In addition to foreign liquor, teams registered 168 cases related to country-made liquor, seizing 1,941 litres valued at ₹3.88 lakh.
Statewide Fallout of the Bhavnagar Tragedy
The swift enforcement drive comes as the state government faces intense public scrutiny following the tragedy in Bhavnagar district, where eight people lost their lives and 31 others remain hospitalised.
The Gujarat police department has handed over the Bhavnagar investigation to the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) to probe the illegal manufacturing and supply chain. Departmental proceedings have also begun against local police personnel accused of negligence. Ahmedabad Police confirmed that heightened surveillance and targeted raids will continue across all zones to dismantle local bootlegging networks.
