5,600 liquor bottles worth over ₹10 lakh hidden in chemical barrels seized in Ahmedabad

Police in Ahmedabad have seized 5,600 bottles of liquor concealed in chemical barrels and arrested a suspect, while a separate operation led to the recovery of another consignment of illicit alcohol.

Acting on a tip-off, the Sarkhej police raided a transport godown and recovered the liquor worth over ₹10 lakh, which had been packed in eight iron barrels labelled as chemical consignments.

Police said the barrels, purportedly containing acid and other chemicals, were dispatched from a firm in Vasai near Mumbai and were to be delivered to a company in Gujarat. On inspection, the barrels were found to be filled with bottles of whisky.

The consignment was intercepted when a man identified as Akash Amaratbhai Bharwad, a resident of Odhav, arrived to collect the barrels for transportation to Gandhidham in Kutch.

During questioning, Bharwad told police that he had been contacted by an unidentified person who had obtained his phone number earlier and had offered him the transport assignment.

In total, 5,600 bottles of 180 ml whisky were seized, and further investigation is underway to identify those behind the smuggling attempt.

In a separate operation, the Police Control Branch (PCB) intercepted a vehicle near Naroda and seized 1,785 bottles of liquor and beer cans valued at around ₹5 lakh. Police said the consignment was allegedly linked to a Rajasthan-based bootlegger.