Mumbai, Jun 10 (IANS): The Western Railway (WR) Vigilance Department has busted a Gujarat-Maharashtra interstate liquor smuggling racket on its train by nabbing two bootleggers, an official said here on Monday.

Following a tip-off, the Vigilance sleuths kept tabs on the suspects secretly for over a month before taking action, said WR Chief Spokesperson Sumit Thakur.

Finally, on June 8, the Vigilance team swooped upon and apprehended the two alleged bootleggers from the sleeper coach (S-3) of the Bandra Terminus-Jammu Tawi (No. 19027) Vivek Express, soon after it departed from Mumbai.

The WR also effected a seizure of 260 bottles of liquors worth around Rs 46.500 from the duo, Thakur added.

During their interrogation by the law enforcers, the two persons admitted that they were carriers supplying liquor to various hotels and restaurants in the dry state of Gujarat.

Accordingly, they were handed over to the Gujarat Government Railway Police in Surat along with the seized liquor for necessary legal action as per the stringent rules in the adjoining state.

Gujarat is a liquor-free state where possessing, carrying, and selling liquor is strictly prohibited under the law, said the official, and further investigations are on.