Lucknow: In a major crackdown on interstate liquor smuggling, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested a smuggler and recovered 13,812 bottles of illegal foreign liquor from his possession. The operation was carried out late on the night of December 3 at the Sitapur Road toll plaza in Lucknow.
The accused has been identified as Suril Kumar. Police recovered an Eicher truck, ₹5,700 in cash, a mobile phone, diesel containers, and sacks used for transportation along with the massive liquor haul. The seized consignment includes:
- 2,052 bottles of Royal Stag Barrel Select
- 7,488 pet bottles of Old Habit Whisky
- 3,840 pet bottles of All Seasons Golden Collection Reserve Whisky
- 432 bottles of Black Bacardi Rum
According to sources, the STF had received intelligence suggesting a surge in illegal liquor supply to Bihar following the enforcement of prohibition there. Acting on these inputs, STF units were instructed to maintain heightened vigilance and conduct targeted operations.
During interrogation, the arrested smuggler confessed that his gang exploits Bihar’s prohibition laws to transport illegal foreign liquor from Uttar Pradesh. They procure liquor from Punjab and other states and supply it through middlemen across various districts of Bihar. He further revealed that the seized consignment had been loaded by a contact in Champaran and that he was to receive a substantial payment upon delivery.
The STF has registered a case at the Itaunja police station in Lucknow and handed over the accused to the local police for further legal proceedings. The search for other members of the smuggling network has been intensified.
