Law enforcement authorities in Gujarat have struck a major blow against illicit alcohol operations after the Bhuj Cyber Cell raided an illegal distillery setup in the Adipur area of Kutch district. During the operation, officers confiscated a vast supply of raw manufacturing materials, including 600 liters of chemical, 200 liters of a water mixture, more than 600 filled bottles containing 180 ml of alcohol each, around 9,400 empty bottles, and automated bottle sealing machinery alongside other processing tools.
Suspects Apprehended and Seized Equipment
Two individuals involved in the illegal operation were taken into custody at the raid site. The police identified the arrested suspects as Hitesh Khimabhai Bamaniya, a resident of Santacruz in Mumbai, and Bijendra Lalchand Jat, who hails from Mathura. Preliminary questioning of both suspects is currently underway to uncover the wider supply chain behind the operation.
According to Chirag Koriadia, Inspector General of Police for the Border Range, officers secured "about 9,400 empty bottles and 600 bottles filled with 180 ml of liquor, along with 600 liters of chemicals" from the temporary facility established in Adipur. Investigators noted that while the liquor bottles had already been filled and sealed, brand labels and promotional stickers were yet to be attached to the containers.
Unraveling the Supply Network
The discovery of thousands of prepared and empty containers has raised critical questions for investigating teams. Police are currently working to determine the precise destinations where this fake liquor batch was intended to be distributed, as well as identifying the buyers waiting to receive the stock. Authorities are also investigating whether previous consignments produced at this hidden Adipur location had already managed to reach public markets.
Background of Prohibition and Recent Deaths in Bhavnagar
Gujarat strictly enforces total prohibition, maintaining laws that prohibit the manufacture, sale, transport, and consumption of alcoholic beverages across the state. Despite these prohibitions, illicit alcohol operations continue to pose significant public safety risks. The raid in Kutch comes shortly after a tragic spurious liquor incident in Bhavnagar, where 13 people lost their lives after consuming poisonous alcohol. Law enforcement officials have arrested 27 individuals so far in connection with the Bhavnagar tragedy.
Official investigations into the Bhavnagar deaths revealed that 67 people had consumed illegal alcohol packaged inside bottles bearing the name of a popular Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand. Subsequent laboratory analyses confirmed that the seized alcohol contained methanol, a highly toxic substance capable of causing severe organ failure and death.
Statewide Probe into Chemical Sourcing
In response to the recurring threats of counterfeit liquor, the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) of the Gujarat Police has launched a comprehensive multi-state investigation. As a specialized unit responsible for monitoring illegal gambling and bootlegging activities across Gujarat, the SMC is scrutinizing every link in the supply chain. Investigators are probing the original procurement sources of methanol and other raw chemicals, tracking the transport networks utilized by bootleggers, and identifying all individuals implicated in supplying manufacturing equipment and raw materials.
