Varanasi, Dec 8:
A major liquor smuggling attempt was exposed in Sonbhadra on Saturday after a truck overturned in the Rajkhar Valley on the Hathinala–Duddhi road. When police reached the spot, they discovered that the truck was carrying a huge consignment of illegal Punjab-made foreign liquor hidden under sacks of rice.
During the inspection, officials recovered 15,669 bottles of different liquor brands, packed in 326 cartons and 169 plastic sacks, totaling 5,960 liters. The liquor alone is estimated to be worth over ₹50 lakh, and the truck is valued at around ₹15 lakh.
Police said the tarpaulin covering the truck had torn due to the accident, causing several bottles to break and spill. When officers checked the documents found inside the truck’s cabin—including the bill of lading, tax invoice, and e-way bill—they noticed that the vehicle number mentioned in the paperwork did not match the number on the truck. This confirmed that the liquor was being smuggled, likely to Jharkhand.
The excise department was called to the spot, and a joint inspection was carried out. However, the truck driver and others involved in the smuggling fled before the police arrived.
Sonbhadra police have registered a case under Sections 318(4), 338, 336(3), 340(2) of the BNS and Sections 60/63/72 of the Excise Act against the truck driver, the truck owner, and two related firms. A search is underway to trace them.
