Jashpur Police Seize Rs 1.5 Crore Liquor Under 'Operation Ghatak,' Suspect Interstate Smuggling Network

Jashpur police seized liquor worth Rs 1.5 crore smuggled from Punjab to Bihar via Jharkhand, intercepted a truck at Lora Ghat, and arrested the driver.

Jashpur:Jashpur police in Chhattisgarh have taken major action under Operation Ghatak, seizing Rs 1.5 crore worth of liquor being smuggled from Punjab to Bihar via Jharkhand. The seizure occurred at Lora Ghat in the Duldula police station area where the police intercepted a truck and arrested the driver. Authorities are now investigating the larger liquor smuggling syndicate.

Action Based on Informer’s Tip

Acting on a tip-off, police learned that a liquor-laden truck from Punjab was en route to Bihar. The police team tracked the vehicle and seized it near Lora Ghat, Duldula. Upon searching, officers found 22,536 bottles of illegal liquor stored in 790 cartons, hidden under over 100 cement sacks.

"Police surrounded the truck near Sardar Dhaba, stopped it, and searched it. Initially, cement sacks were loaded on top to conceal the liquor. After removing them, a huge stock of foreign liquor was recovered,"
said Shashi Mohan Singh, SP, Jashpur

Liquor Worth Rs 1.5 Crore Seized, Driver Arrested

SP Shashi Mohan Singh informed that the seized liquor totalled 7,015 litres, with an estimated market value of Rs 1.5 crore. The arrested truck driver, Shravan Singh (43), hails from Chamba police station, Sarnatal district, Punjab.

Shocking Smuggling Revelations

During interrogation, the driver revealed that the truck was loaded in Jalandhar, Punjab, and was headed for Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. Upon reaching Hazaribagh, another smuggling team would unload the liquor, and the driver was sent back with an empty truck after receiving cash. The driver claimed he was unaware of the exact unloading location.

Police Suspect Organised Inter-state Liquor Syndicate

Authorities believe an inter-state gang is operating this liquor smuggling racket. Smugglers used cement sacks to hide the liquor and chose routes with minimal tools and rural roads to evade police.

"An organised inter-state gang is behind this smuggling network. We are examining the accused's mobile phone to track down other members involved," said Shashi Mohan Singh, SP, Jashpur. The investigation is going on and police are striving to dismantle the liquor smuggling network.