A major illicit alcohol smuggling network was busted in Bihar's Gayaji ahead of Diwali festivities, resulting in the seizure of a substantial consignment of foreign liquor. Smugglers had reportedly stockpiled the contraband inside a residential property in the Nawagarhi neighbourhood with plans to sell it at high markups during the festive rush. Acting on precise intelligence inputs, a joint contingent comprising the Anti-Liquor Task Force (ALTF) and personnel from the Vishnupad police station executed a coordinated raid on Saturday. The search yielded 438.475 litres of foreign liquor, leading to the arrest of prime suspect Chetan Singh along with three women.
Contraband Hidden Across Kitchen, Fridge, and Water Tank
Upon gaining entry into the premises, inspecting officers encountered illicit bottles concealed across virtually every functional space in the house. The suspects had converted domestic fixtures and appliances into temporary storage vaults to evade detection. Crates and bottles were extracted from inside the refrigerator, the overhead water tank, the kitchen cabinets, and the bathroom area. Officers thoroughly searched every corner of the dwelling, uncovering multiple cases of branded foreign liquor. To maintain the chain of custody and fulfill legal norms, the entire cache of illicit liquor was retrieved, inventoried, and sealed under the direct supervision of a designated magistrate present at the location.
Festive Supply Plan Intercepted Just in Time
Inquiries revealed that the seized stock had arrived at the house only a day earlier, on Friday. The operators had scheduled the distribution to coincide with Diwali, anticipating elevated market demand across local pockets. However, law enforcement authorities received timely alerts regarding the movement of the shipment and mobilised swiftly to conduct the raid before the stock could be dispersed into local distribution channels.
Suspect Linked to Previous Narcotic Trade
The primary accused, Chetan Singh, is originally a resident of the Bhojpur district. Preliminary background checks indicate that Singh was earlier involved in the illicit trade of cannabis before branching into liquor smuggling. Investigators are currently questioning Singh and the three arrested women to map out the entire supply chain.
City DSP-1 Saroj Kumar Sah stated that the action in Nawagarhi was conducted following actionable confidential tips. Sah noted that interrogation of the detained individuals is ongoing to identify upstream distributors who dispatched the consignment as well as local handlers assigned to receive and retail the bottles.
