In a major crackdown against bootlegging in the dry state of Gujarat, the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) of the Gujarat Police intercepted an industrial oxygen tanker being used to smuggle a massive consignment of alcohol.
The sophisticated operation resulted in the seizure of contraband valued at over Rs 64.65 lakh.
The Interception and Seizure
Acting on a precise tip-off, police teams intercepted the commercial vehicle on the highway stretch running from Dena Chokdi to Golden Chokdi, an area falling under the jurisdiction of the Harni Police Station in Vadodara City. The vehicle, which was traveling from Maharashtra, was targeted just as it attempted to enter Vadodara.
Upon thoroughly searching the vehicle, officials uncovered a massive cache of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL):
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Total Quantity: 28,704 bottles and cans of liquor.
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Estimated Street Value: Rs 64,65,024.
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Legal Action: The entire consignment and the vehicle were impounded. A case has been officially registered under multiple stringent sections of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, including Sections 65(A)(E), 81, 83, 98(2), and 116(B).
Modus Operandi: Oxygen Tanks as a Cover Story
The smugglers went to extreme technical lengths to bypass border security checkpoints, exploiting the fact that industrial and medical gas transport vehicles are generally fast-tracked as critical supply chain cargo.
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The Decoy Front: The smugglers filled the forward-facing compartment of the tanker with actual compressed gas cylinders. This ensured that if border police or check-post authorities routinely checked the external valves, pressure gauges, or front seals, the tanker would appear entirely legitimate.
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The Secret Vault: A hidden, custom-engineered compartment was constructed directly behind the gas cylinders. This sealed rear space housed the thousands of illicit alcohol bottles, completely isolated from casual visual inspection.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
The driver of the commercial tanker, identified as Rekharam Motaram Jat, a resident of Jalore, Rajasthan, was arrested on the spot. Following initial questioning by the State Monitoring Cell, he was handed over to the local Vadodara authorities for formal processing.
The investigation has since widened. Gujarat Police have launched a manhunt to trace and apprehend four additional key suspects tied to the supply chain. This includes the legal owner of the commercial tanker, the primary suppliers who loaded the contraband in Maharashtra, and the intended black-market receivers waiting for the delivery in Vadodara.
