480 cartons of liquor valued at ₹60 lakh seized in Greater Noida

According to Subodh Kumar, the district excise officer, the action was initiated on the basis of a tip-off received by the police about the truck on Sunday

In a collaborative operation, the Gautam Budh Nagar excise department and police executed a seizure of 480 cartons of liquor valued at ₹60 lakhs on Sunday at Greater Noida’s Luharli toll plaza, located on NH91 within the jurisdiction of Dadri police station, officials said on Monday.

The confiscated liquor, originally intended for sale in Punjab, was allegedly being illicitly transported to Bihar, to sell it at higher prices, as it is a dry state, officials said. (HT Photo)

The confiscated liquor, originally intended for sale in Punjab, was allegedly being illicitly transported to Bihar, to sell it at higher prices, as it is a dry state, officials said, adding that the contraband was being transported in a cantor truck, which has now been impounded by the police, while the truck driver remains at large.

According to investigators, the truck was part of a smuggling operation transporting liquor from Punjab to Bihar. “Liquor commands a higher price in Bihar due to its status as a dry state. We will also endeavor to uncover the entire supply chain and routing to dismantle this nexus,” said an official involved in the case.

According to Subodh Kumar, the district excise officer, the action was initiated on the basis of a tip-off received by the police about the truck on Sunday.

“Based on this information, we set up a trap. Barricades were deployed, and vehicles on NH91 heading towards Bulandshahr were being inspected. When the truck was directed to halt at the Luharli toll plaza, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene. The truck was seized, and upon inspection, approximately 480 cartons filled with liquor were discovered,” said a senior officer from Dadri police station, who was part of the operation.

It was subsequently revealed that the truck’s registration plate was counterfeit.

“The truck had a fake registration plate. The liquor found on the truck, labeled ‘Made for sale in Punjab,’ is estimated to be valued at around ₹60 lakhs. We are attempting to trace the owner through the truck’s chassis number,” added the officer.

An FIR has been registered against unidentified suspects at Dadri police station under the relevant sections of the Excise Act and under charges of using a false property mark, as outlined in the Indian Penal Code.