Man arrested for smuggling liquor on camels through forest routes into south Delhi

Delhi Police have busted an unusual illicit liquor smuggling racket in south Delhi after arresting a man who allegedly used camels to transport contraband through forest routes to evade checkpoints, officials said on Monday.

The accused, identified as Vinod Bhadana (48) , a resident of Anandpur village in Faridabad, Haryana , was apprehended in the Sangam Vihar forest area during a late-night operation carried out by the Special Staff of the South district on the intervening night of March 29 and 30.

Police said they had received specific intelligence inputs that illicit liquor was being moved from Faridabad into Delhi using unconventional routes through the dense forest stretch to bypass road barricades and surveillance along major highways connecting the two cities.

Acting on the tip-off, a police team laid a trap in the forest and intercepted Bhadana while he was moving the consignment using two camels loaded with cartons of liquor , an officer said.

During the search, officers recovered 39 cartons of illicit liquor containing around 1,938 quarter bottles from his possession.

Preliminary interrogation revealed that Bhadana adopted the unusual method after intensified enforcement drives and strict vehicle checks on highways and border points made traditional smuggling routes increasingly risky. By using camels and narrow forest trails, smugglers were able to bypass roadblocks and police patrols, officials said.

The camels used in the operation were rescued and handed over to the concerned authorities for care, while the accused has been taken into custody for further questioning.

Police records indicate that Bhadana was earlier involved in a case registered at Neb Sarai police station under the Delhi Excise Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act . Investigators are now trying to identify other members of the smuggling network and determine whether similar forest-based routes were used earlier to supply illicit liquor into the national capital.