Ahmedabad’s law enforcement struck gold—or rather, liquid gold—when they intercepted a truck packed with foreign liquor stashed under a mountain of helmets. The clever concealment in Narol’s SP Ring Road unraveled a sophisticated racket aimed at breaching Gujarat’s alcohol ban, leading to the arrest of the driver and a massive confiscation.
PCB officials, tipped off about suspicious activity, monitored the area near Aslali Circle and Sainath Parking. Stopping the vehicle around midnight, they discovered 1,053 helmets artfully arranged to mask 10,749 bottles of imported liquor, clocking in at ₹63.86 lakh. Add the helmets at ₹5.25 lakh, the truck, phone, and cash, and the total bounty exceeds ₹84 lakh.
Identified as Johnny Baldevsingh Chandel, 38, from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, the accused was hauling the load from Chandigarh to Junagadh. Police suspect a larger syndicate, with questioning focused on suppliers and buyers. “Traffickers exploit everyday items to dodge detection,” noted an investigator, emphasizing timely intel’s importance.
Narol station is probing deeper, linking up with counterparts to expose the full operation. Recent busts paint a pattern: October 2025 saw 5,520 IMFL bottles in fake medicine crates at Gota Bridge, while Vadodara yielded 8,231 bottles in September. These victories reflect Gujarat’s relentless campaign against prohibition violators, disrupting illegal flows and protecting public health.