A 57-year-old woman was arrested in Delhi’s Jyoti Nagar after police found over 1000 litres of illegal liquor stacked inside her house on Sunday.
The woman, a repeat offender, had been running a small-scale bootlegging operation from her home, allegedly supplying illicit liquor in the area for years.
According to police, the recovery was made on Saturday evening during routine patrolling.
Constable Rajdeep and Woman Constable Bhawna of Jyoti Nagar police station were patrolling the locality when they noticed a woman sitting outside her house with a bucket covered by a cloth. “Her behaviour appeared suspicious, so the team decided to check,” said Ashish Mishra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East).
“When the bucket was opened, several quarters of illicit liquor were found inside. The team immediately informed the station and a raid was conducted,” he added.
During the raid, police recovered a total of 7,309 quarters, roughly 1,315 litres of illegal liquor marked ‘For Sale in Haryana Only’.
The bottles were stored inside the woman’s house in buckets, plastic bags, and cartons. The woman was arrested on the spot.
Police said she had been supplying cheap liquor to local buyers at low prices, using her house as a base for illegal trade. A case under Section 33 of the Delhi Excise Act has been registered at Jyoti Nagar police station.
The seized liquor has been sent for verification and an investigation is underway to trace the source of the supply.
Officials said the woman was not new to the trade. “She has been involved in eight similar cases earlier,” a senior police officer said.
“Despite repeated arrests, she continued to operate quietly in the locality.” Police believe she purchased liquor in bulk from bootleggers in neighbouring states and sold it illegally in residential areas.
Her home, located in a narrow lane, allowed her to store and sell liquor discreetly while avoiding attention.
Residents of the area said the woman had been seen running a small shop from her home, but few suspected it was a cover for selling illegal liquor.
“She kept to herself, and people thought she was just doing petty business,” said a neighbour. The North-East district police have stepped up patrols in areas known for illegal liquor sales.
“We are conducting strict checks to curb smuggling and bootlegging in border areas,” DCP Mishra said.
“Our teams are focusing on repeat offenders who have been running such operations despite previous action,” he added.
Police are now trying to identify others involved in the supply chain.
Investigators suspect the seized liquor was part of a larger racket that transports cheap alcohol from Haryana into Delhi for illegal sale.
The accused has been taken into custody, and further investigation is in progress, police said.
During the raid, police recovered a total of 7,309 quarters, roughly 1,315 litres of illegal liquor marked ‘For Sale in Haryana Only’
