Over 7,000 bottles of illicit liquor hidden in truck, two held

New Delhi: Investigation by Delhi Police has revealed that traffickers are using specially modified vehicle to supply illicit liquor from Delhi into dry states.

On Thursday, cops arrested two men, who used a similar modus operandi, smuggling over 7,000 bottles of illicit liquor within a truck, which contained a secret chamber.

Police said the accused, Anish Kumar (21) and Sunil Singh (28), are both natives of Rohtak, Haryana.

"They were arrested from Mathura Road, one kilometre away from Haryana border," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Chinmoy Biswal said on Friday.

He added that the accused were driving a 16-wheeler truck, containing a secret chamber to conceal the transported liquor cartons.

The chamber contained an iron ceiling and sand cushioned walls, with timber ply boards covering the sealing and the back side of the truck.

"By striking an iron rod on the side walls on the outside, we discovered something hollow on the left side of the truck. On inspection, it was revealed to be an 'entry gate' to the secret chamber containing carons full of IMFL (Indian made foreign liquor," said Biswal.

Police claimed that the accused used to smuggle liquor from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana and hand over the same to drivers and helpers in Ambala City. The carriers would meet their associates at Kosi Kalan near Mathura, Uttar Pradesh and from there, through separate teams, the liquor would further proceed for Gujarat and Bihar.

The gang leader would hire around 10-15 drivers and interchanges – drivers from one point of origin to another point of destination – so that no one would have no information about the entire chain. Sources said that the profit margin of selling liquor in Bihar and Gujarat is very high.