Pune: In a significant operation on the Nagar-Kalyan highway, the Otur police, as part of a routine checkpoint near Khubi, intercepted a milk transport vehicle carrying illegal country liquor.

Goods worth ₹4.60 lakh, including the pickup truck and liquor, were seized. The operation was carried out under the supervision of Assistant Police Inspector Lahu Thate.

The checkpoint was set up as part of the measures related to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. On Wednesday, at around 10 a.m., a white pickup truck (MH 14 HU 8764) carrying milk appeared suspicious to the officers on duty.

Upon inspection, the truck was found to have tubes filled with country liquor. The driver, Dattatray Shivaji Kale (50), confessed that he had collected the liquor from Yashwant Radhe and Ramesh Karbhal in Savarne, Murbad, and was en route to sell it to Subhash Baburao Navale in Pargaon, Junnar.

A case has been registered under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, and the seized goods, including liquor worth ₹10,000 and the pickup truck valued at ₹4.50 lakh, have been confiscated.

The documentation of the seized items was completed by Sub-Inspector Yuvraj Jadhav. The investigation is ongoing, led by Police Havaldar Balashiram Bhavari, under the guidance of API Lahu Thate.

The operation was conducted under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh, Additional SP Ramesh Chopde, and Junnar Sub-Divisional Officer Ravindra Chaudhari.

Officers involved in the raid include API Lahu Thate, Sub-Inspector Yuvraj Jadhav, Police Constable Sandeep Bhote, Subhash Kedari, Shyam Jaibhaye, Balashiram Bhavari, and Suresh Gengje.