Despite various smuggling attempts, the excise department remains vigilant in enforcing alcohol prohibition. Recently, in Jamui, Bihar, authorities uncovered a novel smuggling method involving foreign liquor hidden beneath boxes of bees. Smugglers attempted to transport the alcohol from Giridih, Jharkhand, to Vaishali, Bihar, using a pickup vehicle. They hoped the bees would deter inspection.
At the Dumri check post in Jamui, the excise team grew suspicious of the load. A scanner revealed the hidden cartons of foreign liquor beneath the bee boxes. The team arrested two smugglers and took them to the prohibition police station. They then worked with the Animal Husbandry Department to safely remove the bees and recover the 65 cartons of foreign liquor, valued at around ₹6.5 lakh.

This case is notable as the first instance of smuggling liquor under the guise of bees since Bihar’s liquor ban. The excise department had previously intercepted a similar operation involving flour sacks filled with garbage. Superintendent Subhash Kumar commended the team for their successful operation, emphasizing that while bees were used as a deterrent, thorough scanning and vigilance led to the smugglers’ arrest.