LUCKNOW, Nov. 2 -- Ahead of the Bihar elections, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) once again intercepted a major consignment of foreign liquor being smuggled into the state. On Saturday, the STF seized 575 boxes of foreign liquor valued at around Rs.75 lakh from a container truck in Lucknow district and arrested a member of a Haryana-based liquor syndicate. Earlier in September, the Uttar Pradesh excise department seized a consignment of illicit foreign liquor on the outskirts of Lucknow. Acting on a tip-off, officials intercepted a four-wheeler along the Kisan Path near Gosaiganj and recovered 473 bottles of premium foreign liquor, reportedly meant for illegal distribution ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections. According to STF officials, the arrested accused, Vishvendra, a resident of Chimni village under Beri police station in Jhajjar district of Haryana, was transporting the liquor consignment from Chandigarh to Darbhanga in Bihar. The foreign liquor was concealed behind 210 fertilizer bags inside a specially designed secret compartment of the truck. The seizure was made at Omaxe Cut, Kalli West, along Kisan Path, under the jurisdiction of PGI Police Station in Lucknow. During interrogation, Vishvendra confessed that he was associated with Sonu Rathi, Gurneet Singh Gogia, and Atul- members of an organised syndicate involved in smuggling liquor from Haryana and Punjab into Bihar. He revealed that the gang has been supplying foreign liquor for illegal distribution during the ongoing Bihar elections. Vishvendra also admitted that he was paid Rs.1 lakh per trip to transport the consignments. The STF recovered a container truck (bearing registration number UP 17 BM 3466, actual number HR 69 B 7733) along with a mobile phone from the accused's possession. Acting on intelligence inputs about an active liquor smuggling network operating between Haryana, Punjab, and Bihar, STF teams had been conducting covert surveillance on suspicious vehicles traveling toward the eastern borders of UP....