In a significant breakthrough, the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Prayagraj has uncovered a novel and audacious method employed by the liquor mafia to smuggle alcohol from Uttar Pradesh into prohibition-enforced Bihar. The racket involves recruiting unemployed youths with clean records to act as couriers on trains, offering them hefty commissions for a single trip.
The Platform Arrest That Unraveled the Scheme
The startling operation came to light on Thursday when GRP sleuths, stationed on Magh Mela duty, apprehended a 20-year-old youth named Amar Bhartiya, a resident of Sadiapur, at Prayagraj junction. He was nabbed near Foot Overbridge (FOB) No 1 at Platform No 4 while waiting for a train bound for Bihar.
Officials grew suspicious of his activities and upon interrogation, his story began to unravel. Initially, he tried to mislead police by claiming he had lost his way from the mela and ended up at the station. However, under strict questioning, he confessed. A search revealed he was carrying a bag containing 40 pouches of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth approximately Rs 15,000. He was booked under Section 60 of the Excise Act.
The "Safe" Train-Route Formula: Commission Over Criminal Records
During the interrogation, a disturbing new modus operandi was revealed. SP (GRP) Prashant Verma confirmed this was the first instance of GRP catching a youth with a liquor consignment directly on the platform. The investigation into the network is now active.
SHO (GRP) A.K. Singh provided crucial details: The liquor mafia is deliberately targeting unemployed youths with no prior criminal records to avoid police suspicion. These individuals are hired on a commission basis, earning between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per trip to safely deliver the consignment to Bihar. The arrested youth did not even possess a valid train ticket, highlighting the low-profile, low-risk approach designed by the smugglers.
Why the Shift from Trucks to Trains?
A senior police officer explained the context behind this tactical shift. Previously, the mafia relied heavily on truck drivers, paying them between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.50 lakh per trip for smuggling liquor from Punjab to Bihar and back. That network involved elaborate precautions:
- Drivers were never informed of the full route in advance.
- Mafia agents provided real-time tips and alerts via phone to evade police checks.
- Agents sometimes physically escorted trucks on detours.
- Specific code words were used for each district to verify contacts and receive new route instructions.
However, after the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) successfully dismantled this extensive truck-based smuggling network, the liquor mafia was forced to innovate. The train-route formula using young, first-time couriers is their latest attempt to fly under the radar of law enforcement.
The GRP is now working on several leads to completely break this newly emerged network. The arrest of Amar Bhartiya has opened a critical window into the evolving strategies of organized bootlegging gangs operating across the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border.
