Foreign liquor valued at Rs 1.19 crore seized in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, July 5 (IANS) Gujarat State Monitoring Cell (SMC) from Gandhinagar seized foreign liquor worth Rs 1.19 crore during a raid in Chotila taluka of Surendranagar.

Acting on a tip-off, the SMC team raided a farmhouse near Kherdi village, close to Nagaraj Hotel, and uncovered nearly 1,000 boxes containing 8,596 bottles of foreign-made liquor.

In total, police seized goods worth Rs 1.26 lakh, including the liquor consignment and a pickup vehicle suspected to be used for transport.

A case has been filed against 10 individuals, including Dilip Bavku Dhandhal of Nani Moldi village. Authorities say some of the accused are still absconding and further investigation is underway.

In dry-state Gujarat, liquor seizures in 2025 have continued at an alarming scale, revealing the deep-rooted network of smuggling operations despite decades of prohibition. In just the first half of the year, authorities have conducted multiple high-value raids across districts.

In Banaskantha, foreign liquor hidden in plastic-wrapped packages valued at Rs 17 lakh was confiscated.

Smaller but frequent raids have also been carried out, including one that netted two men transporting liquor and beer worth Rs 7.35 lakh, and another operation yielding over Rs 62,000 in seized alcohol.

Although full-year data for 2025 is still unfolding, trends mirror those of 2024, when Gujarat police seized over 82 lakh bottles of IMFL worth Rs 144 crore, averaging nearly one bottle every 4 seconds.

The State Monitoring Cell (SMC) alone had registered 455 cases, confiscating liquor worth Rs 22.5 crore, with total seized property crossing Rs 52 crore.

Gujarat follows one of the strictest liquor prohibition policies in India, rooted in the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and enforced under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949.

The law bans the manufacture, sale, purchase, consumption, and possession of alcohol across the state.

However, exceptions exist. Individuals can apply for a health permit to consume alcohol for medical reasons, usually limited to people above 40 or with specific conditions, and tourists visiting Gujarat can apply for a temporary liquor permit, valid for up to a month and only usable at licensed liquor shops in certain cities.

Penalties for violations can be severe — including hefty fines, imprisonment, and seizure of vehicles or properties involved in smuggling.

--IANS

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