Beer and booze on camelback: Delhi Police crack desert-style smuggling racket

NEW DELHI: South Delhi's humid nights were witness to a most unlikely smuggling operation - camels, majestic creatures of the desert, were being used to ferry contraband liquor from Faridabad into the heart of the city.Under the cover of darkness, a gang of five men would steer the animals through jungles, exploiting the wilderness to evade detection. They would stay clear of motorable roads and police checkpoints, using three slow-moving camels to blend in with the local terrain and avoid raising any suspicion.

Their run ended Thursday night. An informer alerted police, setting off a camel hunt that blew the lid off the gang's operations. The suspected smugglers were arrested and the camels rounded up for care. Police found 24 beer bottles and 1,990 quarters of illicit liquor stashed in 42 cartons, all loaded on the unsuspecting accomplices.Early morning camel trips to dodge cops The accused - Vinod Bhadana (48), Sunil Bhadana (38), Saurabh (26), Ajay (25) and Rahul (22) - told police they bought each camel for Rs 60,000-80,000 a year ago from a contact in Rajasthan's Alwar. Thereafter, they started making the trips in the early morning hours, hoping to dodge cops.

DCP (South) Ankit Chauhan said the suspects were intercepted in the forest area near Surajkund border near Bhati mines by a team comprising inspector Umesh Yadav and other officers. "The men adopted the unorthodox method as there was increased police vigilance along traditional smuggling routes," he added.All accused were booked under relevant sections of the Excise Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

The camels used in the smuggling operation have been handed over to animal welfare agencies.Vinod and Sunil are residents of Anangpur, Faridabad, and have FIRs registered against them in Sangam Vihar, Govindpuri and Maidan Garhi police stations. Ajay lives in Sangam Vihar and has 11 cases against him while Saurabh, originally from UP's Budaun, is a first-timer, police said. Rahul has previous involvement in three cases, two of them under Excise Act.The bust is part of South district police's ongoing crackdown on Excise Act violations. In the past two weeks, police have recovered 11,366 quarters of liquor, 191 beer bottles and several vehicles, including three cars, an auto and two scooties. Police said investigation is underway to trace the supply chain, identify the source and intended recipients, and arrest other persons who may be involved in the network.