The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested one member of an inter-state liquor smuggling gang and recovered 13,812 bottles of illegal English liquor during a late-night raid at the Sitapur Road toll plaza in Lucknow on Wednesday.
According to officials, the liquor—of several popular brands—was hidden under sacks of potatoes inside a truck with a Punjab number plate. Along with the liquor, the STF also seized a mobile phone, ₹5,700 in cash, a driving licence, and the truck used for smuggling.
The arrested man has been identified as Sushil Kumar, a resident of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. He was caught around 10:35 pm in a joint operation by the STF and Itaunja police.
During questioning, Sushil told officers that he was part of a gang that illegally buys liquor from Punjab and Chandigarh and smuggles it into various districts of Bihar. He said the current truckload was arranged by Kapil Verma from Chandigarh, who handles the delivery once the consignment reaches Bihar.
