Nagpur: In an early-dawn operation on Sunday, Nagpur police seized suspected counterfeit liquor worth lakhs from a truck headed towards Alapalli in Gadchiroli, a prohibition district where authorities continue to battle the illegal liquor trade.Acting on a tip-off received by police constable Ajay Shukla, a team from Wadi police station laid a trap near 8th mile weekly market under Wadi police station limits in the early hours of September 20. Between 2.30am and 5.10am, officers intercepted truck and detained its driver, Abdul Tausif Abdul Hafiz (34), a resident of Gawlipura.The operation was carried out under the supervision of senior inspector Dilip Chandan and DCP Deepak Aggarwal.Though the truck appeared to be transporting plastic scrap, a detailed search uncovered 390 boxes concealed beneath the load. Police said the boxes contained 39,000 bottles of liquor, each of 90ml capacity. The seized stock was valued at Rs15.6 lakh, while the overall value of the seizure, including the truck and a mobile phone, was estimated at Rs29 lakh.Investigators said the driver revealed during questioning that the consignment had allegedly been arranged by Ankush alias Anna Kunchanwar (38) of Hinganghat in Wardha district. While the liquor was purportedly meant for Dhule, it was allegedly diverted to Alapalli in Gadchiroli.The seizure highlights continuing attempts to smuggle liquor into Gadchiroli, a dry district that has spent years moving beyond its former Maoist-hit image.Officials from state excise department examined the consignment and found it to be prima facie counterfeit. A case has been registered at Wadi police station, which has taken custody of the accused and the seized goods. Police are now searching for other suspects believed to be involved in the racket.
