# Smart meters used as front for alcohol smuggling in Muzaffarpur, three arrested with 48 crates of beer > Police in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, have seized a massive consignment of foreign liquor and beer hidden beneath a shipment of smart electricity meters. Three individuals, including the driver and helper, have been arrested in connection with the smuggling operation. **Type:** article · **Category:** Bihar · **Published:** 2026-09-10 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/bihar/mujaphpharapura-men-bijali-ke-smart-meter-chhipakara-le-jai-ja-rahi-thi-sharaba-48-peti-biyara-sameta-tina-giraphtara-30827 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Muzaffarpur liquor smuggling, Bihar prohibition, smart meter alcohol bust, Benibad police station, NH 27 seizure, Bihar crime news Prohibition remains strictly enforced across Bihar, yet illicit liquor smuggling operations continue to surface with alarming frequency. Smugglers constantly devise novel methods to bypass law enforcement and move contraband into the state. Following a recent major seizure of illegal foreign liquor in Patna, authorities in Muzaffarpur have now uncovered an elaborate smuggling scheme where illegal alcohol was transported under the guise of essential electrical equipment. ## Concealed beneath smart electricity meters Despite strict state laws, operators continue to seek out new loopholes to traffic liquor into the region. In a major breakthrough, the police station in the Benibad area of Muzaffarpur executed a successful operation exposing an alcohol smuggling racket operating behind a facade of smart meters. During a routine vehicle inspection drive along National Highway 27, police intercepted a suspicious container truck and conducted a thorough search, uncovering a substantial cache of illegal foreign liquor and beer cleverly stacked inside. ## Three suspects detained at the scene Law enforcement authorities apprehended three individuals at the site, including the primary driver and the helper of the container. The arrested driver has been identified as Raghunath Sahni, a resident of Janugunj Ganeshpur village under the Sripanchali police station limits in Balasore district, Odisha. Meanwhile, the helper was identified as Rupak Kumar, hailing from Kaila Bakhri village under the Piert police station area. ## Hidden compartment reveals large alcohol stash Providing details on the operation, SDPO Alay Vats stated that authorities had received confidential intelligence indicating that a container traveling from Darbhanga toward Muzaffarpur was carrying a concealed consignment of foreign liquor. Acting on this tip-off, a specialized vehicle check was mounted on NH-27. Upon intercepting and inspecting the suspicious vehicle, officers discovered a specially constructed secret compartment within the cabin, yielding 102 cartons of foreign liquor and 48 cartons of beer. ## Consignment originated from Assam Police investigations revealed that the vehicle was officially loaded with 650 cartons of smart electricity meters, which served as a cover to mask the illegal cargo hidden beneath. Preliminary findings indicate that the container originated in Assam carrying the electrical equipment before smuggling the contraband into Bihar. The vehicle has been officially impounded, and authorities are actively interrogating the suspects to dismantle the wider trafficking network. ## What this means for you This incident highlights the extreme lengths to which traffickers go to bypass prohibition laws using industrial cover. - **Across India:** Law enforcement agencies nationwide are alerted to traffickers using commercial shipments and government utility supplies as fronts for contraband. - **In Muzaffarpur:** Local residents and commuters along key routes like NH-27 should expect heightened vehicle checkpoints and thorough freight inspections. ## Why this happened The total ban on alcohol sales and consumption in Bihar creates a lucrative illicit market, driving traffickers to adopt sophisticated concealment methods. - **Container Routing:** The vehicle originated in Assam transporting 650 cartons of smart meters, utilizing the heavy commercial load to mask the contraband. - **Intelligence Input:** Police acted on specific confidential tips regarding a vehicle moving from Darbhanga, prompting targeted checks on NH-27. - **Concealed Compartment:** Traffickers built a specialized secret chamber inside the vehicle cabin to evade detection during routine inspections. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Where did the liquor smuggling bust take place in Muzaffarpur? The operation took place during a vehicle check along NH-27 within the Benibad police station jurisdiction in Muzaffarpur. ### 2. What method was used to conceal the alcohol? Smugglers hid the liquor inside a container truck carrying smart electricity meters originating from Assam. ### 3. How much liquor and beer was recovered by the police? Police recovered 102 cartons of foreign liquor and 48 cartons of beer from a secret compartment inside the container. ### 4. How many individuals were arrested in this operation? A total of three people, including the container driver and the helper, were arrested at the scene. ### 5. Where is the arrested driver from? The primary driver, Raghunath Sahni, hails from Janugunj Ganeshpur village in Balasore district, Odisha. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._