Driver uses elderly couple as cover to smuggle liquor from Rajasthan, 3 held

The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested three persons, including an elderly couple, for allegedly transporting Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) from Rajasthan into Gujarat. The accused were nabbed near the Chandkheda Visat area during a routine vehicle checking operation.

According to officials, the accused were travelling in a Rajasthan-registered vehicle, which was intercepted based on suspicion. On inspection, police recovered eight large bags of IMFL concealed inside the vehicle. In a calculated attempt to avoid suspicion, the smugglers had brought along an elderly couple to pose as family members on a journey, officials said.

“The modus operandi involved using elderly passengers as a cover to deflect suspicion from law enforcement during transit. The driver deliberately presented the trip as a routine family journey, making it less likely to be flagged for inspection,” said a senior Crime Branch official.

All three individuals, including the couple and the driver, have been arrested under relevant provisions of the Prohibition Act. The exact quantity and market value of the seized liquor are yet to be officially disclosed as the investigation is underway.

Officials suspect the trio may be part of a larger smuggling network operating across the Gujarat–Rajasthan border. “The route, vehicle origin, and nature of concealment suggest this was a well-planned operation. We are tracing the source and possible distribution points within the state,” added the officer.

Further interrogation of the accused is expected to provide leads on other members of the smuggling syndicate.