Bhubaneswar: A milk van turned out to be a liquor carrier in Bhubaneswar, with the Excise Department intercepting the vehicle and seizing 1,080 litres of country liquor allegedly being smuggled under the cover of milk delivery.
The accused has been identified as Iqbal Khan.
According to the Excise Department, the vehicle was being used to transport country liquor under the guise of milk delivery, apparently to evade the attention of enforcement agencies. The department had received information that the vehicle was being regularly used for transporting illicit liquor in the city.
Acting on the tip-off, the Excise mobile unit kept a close watch on the suspected milk van. The officials spotted the vehicle near Xavier Square and began following it as it moved towards Patia.
The team intercepted the vehicle in the Maitri Vihar area and conducted a search. During the inspection, officials found a large quantity of country liquor inside the vehicle, exposing the alleged use of a milk delivery vehicle as a front for illegal liquor transportation.
The Excise Department subsequently seized the vehicle along with the liquor and arrested Khan in connection with the bootlegging operation.
The seizure has highlighted the use of unconventional methods by liquor smugglers to conceal illegal consignments and avoid detection by enforcement agencies. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the liquor and identify others who may be involved in the racket.
