Coronavirus Lockdown: Bootlegger Arrested for Trying To Sell Foreign Liquor Through Facebook

A 31-year-old bootlegger was arrested here for attempting to sell foreign liquor through a Facebook page amid lockdown, a police official said on Tuesday.

(Photo by Sergei MalgavkoTASS via Getty Images)

Bengaluru: A 31-year-old bootlegger was arrested here for attempting to sell foreign liquor through a Facebook page amid lockdown, a police official said on Tuesday. "We contacted Roshan Bhateja through a Facebook page undercover and deposited some money for the delivery. As he came to deliver the liquor on Palace Road near the French Consulate, we arrested him," Central Crime Branch (CCB) Deputy Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Jain told IANS. Bhateja accumulated duty-free foreign liquor overtime right before lockdown and is attempting to make a killing selling the bottles at triple the price. Some of the 24 seized liquor bottles included Scotch whisky Laphroaig, Ballantine's, Cardhu, Teacher's, 100 Pipers, Johnnie Walker, Balvenie, Black & White, and others. "We arrested him red-handed as he came in a car to deliver the illegal liquor," said Jain. Police also seized an orange Hyundai i10 car, KA 01 MM 5305, and an iPhone 11. According to Jain, Bhateja works as a financial and garment consultant in the city, living on Palace Road near Mount Carmel College and Shangri-La hotel. Jain said the accused will be quarantined and later sent to judicial custody. Sandeep Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, tweeted, "While some continue to attempt to sell things prohibited in lockdown CCB continues to raid them accused arrested selling liquor bottlesa24 high-end bottles seized." Also Watch: Should Chinese products be banned after COVID-19 spread linked to China?