Jamnagar, May 5: Gujarat Police under the Lalpur Police Division of Jamnagar district carried out a public destruction of English liquor and beer valued at Rs 52.46 lakh, an official said.

The official said that the seized alcohol was bulldozed near the banks of the Dhandhar River in Lalpur in the presence of senior police and administrative officials.

He added that liquor, comprising 9,720 bottles and cans, had been seized from multiple cases registered under Lalpur, Meghpar (Paddhar), Jamjodhpur, and Sheth Vadala police stations.

The official added that the operation was carried out under the supervision of IPS officer Pratibha, who is currently posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police, Lalpur Division. He said that also present were S.J. Aswar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Lalpur, P.T. Jaiswal, in-charge Police Inspector of Lalpur and Meghpar stations, S.C. Vala, Prohibition and Excise Officer of Jamnagar, and V.S. Patel, in-charge PI of Jamjodhpur and Sheth Vadala stations.

The official said that the destruction was conducted in accordance with court orders and in the presence of a government-appointed committee, ensuring full transparency and compliance with legal procedures.

“Using a bulldozer, the authorities crushed thousands of liquor bottles and beer cans, including various foreign brands smuggled into the region,” he said.

He said that the police have been strict in implementing the prohibition policy and are consistently enforcing actions against the illegal liquor trade.

Despite the state's dry status since its formation, Police and Excise departments have routinely seized large quantities of liquor being smuggled into the state, primarily from neighbouring Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

According to official records, Gujarat Police and the Prohibition and Excise Department seized over Rs 200 crore worth of illegal liquor in the last five years alone.

In 2023, the state recorded more than 75,000 prohibition-related cases, while 2022 saw the confiscation of nearly 30 lakh litres of illicit alcohol.(IANS)

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