Sitamarhi police and excise officials have intercepted a vehicle carrying illicit alcohol and arrested three individuals, uncovering a scheme where a woman was hired for Rs 10,000 per day to pose as a family member to evade vehicle inspections. The enforcement team seized around 70 litres of foreign liquor hidden inside a specially constructed concealed compartment. The driver had attempted to deflect scrutiny by introducing the female passenger as his aunt while asserting that he was ferrying her to Bettiah.
Concealed Compartment Discovered During Inspection
The operation unfolded when a joint checking unit flagged down a suspicious car along an interstate transit corridor. When questioned about the nature of his trip and the contents of the vehicle, the driver insisted that he was simply driving a female relative across the district. He explicitly claimed that the presence of an elder woman ruled out any possibility of contraband being onboard.
Unconvinced by his explanation, officers directed the vehicle to a holding bay for an intensive search. A thorough examination of the chassis, upholstery, and standard storage units revealed an engineered secret cavity designed specifically for bootlegging. Approximately 70 litres of illicit foreign liquor were recovered from this hidden chamber and other sections of the vehicle, prompting officers to immediately detain the driver, the female passenger, and a third occupant.
Daily Wage Cover for Interstate Bootlegging
During initial interrogation, the woman reportedly confessed to receiving Rs 10,000 for each transit run she accompanied. She clarified that her responsibilities did not involve loading or handling the liquor consignments; rather, she was hired solely to sit in the passenger seat and project the appearance of a routine family trip. Investigators noted that syndicate operators believed law enforcement officers would be far less inclined to thoroughly inspect private vehicles carrying domestic travelers.
The arrested woman disclosed that she had accompanied several consignments originating from Uttar Pradesh and other neighboring states bound for dry areas in Bihar. Her role was orchestrated to provide psychological cover at border checkpoints and mobile inspection posts, where family cars routinely face less intrusive physical checks than transport carriers or single-occupant passenger vehicles.
Wider Supply Networks Under Scrutiny
Investigators are now mapping out the logistics chain to identify the source of the liquor and the intended recipients in Sitamarhi. Inquiries are underway to establish how many interstate trips the woman had completed, the duration of her involvement, and the intermediaries who enlisted her into the racket. Technical examinations of the seized vehicle are also being conducted to determine where and when the concealed cavity was fabricated.
The seizure underscores how bootlegging rings continue to adapt against Bihar’s prohibition laws by deploying structural modifications and calculated personal disguises. Police and excise authorities have widened their probe to establish whether similar tactics involving paid female passengers are operating across other interstate routes leading into the state.
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