Liquor worth 1.46cr seized from truck hidden under cotton bales

Rajkot: Rajkot Range IG's team seized Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) worth Rs 1.46 crore from a truck hidden under cotton sacks on the Rajkot–Ahmedabad highway near Janiwadla village on Thursday night.Police said a total of 10,740 bottles of IMFL were found hidden in the vehicle. The truck driver, identified as 30-year-old Sahid Hingora, a resident of Bhanvad in Devbhumi Dwarka district, was arrested on the spot.Rajkot Range IG Nirlipt Rai said the team was patrolling Surendranagar district in view of the upcoming local elections when they received a tip-off about illegal liquor transportation.Acting on the information, police set up a checkpoint near the Janiwadla underpass on the national highway. When the suspicious truck arrived, it was intercepted and searched.During questioning, the driver reportedly revealed that the vehicle had been arranged by a person named Chana Rabari from the Madhya Pradesh border. He stated that the truck was loaded with cotton bales along with the concealed liquor consignment, and he also produced documents for the cotton shipment as a cover for transportation.The driver allegedly told investigators that Rabari maintained contact with him through video calls and gave instructions on where to halt during the journey. On Thursday evening, he was instructed to park the truck near a hotel close to Janiwadla.A case has been registered at Chotila police station in Surendranagar district under relevant sections of the Prohibition Act. The FIR names the arrested driver, Chana Rabari, and unidentified persons, and further investigation is underway.