Rectified spirit worth Rs 8 crore seized in Ghaziabad, 2 held

In a joint operation, the police and the excise department seized 83,000 litres of rectified spirit with an estimated value of Rs 8 crore being ferried to Delhi in three tankers and arrested two men.

Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna said that based on a tip-off, the joint team found three tankers stationed near a private dental college in Masuri here loaded with rectified spirit being used to make spurious diesel, petrol and liquor and also for hardware purposes.

All three tankers were smuggling the consignment from Lakhimpur Kheeri district towards Delhi to deliver it to an oil company, the SSP said, adding that the vehicles and the consignment were impounded.

The arrested accused were identified as truck driver Dharamvir and buyer Rashid.

They were nabbed while stealing the rectified spirit from the tanker and transferring it into drums of 200 litres each for sale.

The drivers and cleaners of the other two trucks and others involved in the illicit trade some how fled the spot, the SSP said, adding that efforts are on to nab them.

The arrested duo confessed to their involvement in the stealing and selling of the spirit from tankers and were minting huge money in the process, he said.