As many as 87 cartons of illegal liquor, meant for distribution during election time, were seized from a godown at Bisrakh area here today.
Police also seized an SUV with beacon light and fake licence plate, crime branch in-charge Gamai Prasad Yadav said.
The illegal liquor was brought from Haryana and stored by one Arif at a godown in Bisrakh area where police conducted a raid and seized the liquor and the vehicle, Yadav said, adding that two liquor smugglers managed to flee on motorcycle.
The premises belonged to one Jagdish, resident of Vijay Nagar in Ghaziabad.
On investigation, it was revealed that SUV was the one, given by the company, authorised to sell liquor in area, to the excise department for checking liquor smuggling.
The vehicle was stolen last year in January and used by liquor mafia after changing the number, Yadav said.
"In view of elections, liquor smuggling has increased. We have formed special teams to check liquor smuggling. In the last two days, excise team has seized two contrabands of liquor meant for elections," district Excise Officer, Kuldeep Yadav said.
