3 Arrested With 4,500 Litre Illegal Alcohol Worth Rs 20 Lakh In Noida: Cops

With the arrest of three people, the Noida Police in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday claimed to have busted a Delhi-based inter-state gang of liquor smugglers and also seized around 4,500 litres of alcohol estimated worth more than Rs 20 lakh.

The illicit liquor was brought for sale in Uttar Pradesh during the upcoming festive season of Christmas and New Year, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Ashutosh Dwivedi told reporters.

Among those held is the son of Delhi liquor mafia Kamal Kishor Chaurasiya alias KP, who has over two dozen cases lodged against him, the officer said.

The suspects were held near the Rajnigandha Chowk by a team of officials from the Sector 20 police station on the basis of a tip-off and four vehicles, including three cars and a pickup truck, loaded with liquor cartons were also impounded, he said.

"Three liquor smugglers have been arrested. Their base network is Delhi and they would bring liquor from Gurugram, Haryana. One of the arrestees is the son of Delhi's liquor mafia Kamal Kishor alias KP," Mr Dwivedi told reporters.

"When the arrestees were interrogated, they told police that they procured liquor from Gurugram. KP would get in touch with his contacts in Gurugram and then share phone number of the supplier with them. The supplier in Gurugram would then meet these accused and hand over the consignment to them," the additional DCP said.

After procuring the liquor, the accused would take different routes to meet at Delhi borders from where the booze would be redistributed for illegal sale, he said.

According to the police, 386 cartons having around 4,500 litres of liquor -estimated worth Rs 21 lakh -- has been seized in the action.

While three people have been arrested, KP, the mastermind of the gang, and three more of his identified associates are at large and efforts are underway to arrest them soon, Mr Dwivedi said.

Those held have been identified as KP's son Ashish, Ravi Chauhan and Nakul Nagar, all three residents of Delhi, the police said.

An FIR has been lodged in the case at the Sector 20 police station under provisions of the Excise Act, the police added.

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