Patna, June 5: Police seized around 5,000 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor from a truck at the state capital's Bypass area this morning.
The liquor - stored in 493 cartons, each consisting of 12 bottles -worth Rs 30 lakh in the market was hidden in the truck underneath general household items such as furniture, beds, gas stove and other items.
Bypass police station house officer (SHO) Rajendra Prasad said: "The police had a tip-off that liquor was being supplied in a truck having the registration number of Haryana. On being intercepted, the driver and his helper told the police that they were bringing household items of a man who has been transferred from Chandigarh to Patna."
The police arrested the driver Arvinder Singh and the helper Deepak Kumar.
On interrogation, the duo admitted that they were bringing the liquor from Haryana to deliver the consignment to a man in Patna.
The driver and helper told the police that they didn't know about the man whom they had to deliver the liquor and were only given his mobile number.
However, when the police made a call on the number it was switched off.
"Cops have traced the number and we know whom the liquor was to be supplied to," said Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj. "The arrest of the duo will provide leads to the gang which is operating in liquor smuggling from Haryana."
Sources said despite the police tightening screws on liquor smugglers, alcohol is being supplied from outside Bihar. Majority of liquor is coming from Haryana and is of a particular brand.
"As these liquor suppliers have a nexus with the excise department staff and some cops, they enter Bihar without any problems," said a police officer.
"While passing through Patna, there is a certain amount of commission fixed for excise staff and police personnel."
He added: "As these smugglers have to give a share to police and excise staff, the liquor which is priced at Rs 500 in Haryana is sold between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,500 in Patna."
Patna police, as part of Operation Sura, have been conducting a special drive against liquor smugglers since May 11 this year.
